Harry Potter the Unexpected Summer
by Sorcerer's Muse
Summary: Summer after fifth-year brings major changes to Harry's life. Namely, a certain red-haired female who refuses to remain in the background any longer.
1. Chapter 1

Author's notes:

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

So, despite promising this, I'm not all that sure about it. This started out to be a year six story with a year seven story to follow and stalled at the end of summer after year five. So now it's a summer after year five story that stands alone. Parts of it I like and parts make me cringe and I will admit to both Harry and Ginny acting far out of character. Though to be honest, how they might act once they spent any significant time together is pretty up in the air at this point because they simply haven't spent much time in each other's company. So maybe it's ok. The other thing I'll say is the two of them go through some rather extreme levels of denial.

There are a few canon changes to note. Ginny's birthday moves to September 12th. She's still a year behind Harry and Ron but is only a bit more than six weeks younger than Harry. Ron's birthday must also move from March to September which makes him like Hermione in being seventeen only a few weeks after starting year six. Last change is Fleur's birthday moves to September 12th as well. There was a point to Fleur, Hermione and Ginny all sharing the same birthday that would have eventually been revealed and if I ever pick this up again will be revealed at that time. For now, it doesn't matter too much. Just note the change.

Sorcerer's Muse

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter I**

 **Mutiny**

* * *

He stood in plain sight across the street from number 4 Privet Drive; glaring with no small amount of distaste at the large man who climbed from the car. His eyes shifted to the woman who climbed from the passenger side. It was an odd pairing for certain. She was as thin as he was fat. The taste she left in his mouth wasn't any better. Their son climbed from the back seat of the vehicle. Unburdened of his immense bulk it rose nearly two inches from its previously low squat. All three of them slammed their doors shut and immediately went into the house, slamming that door shut behind them also. Not one of them so much as noticed him standing across the street.

He continued to watch the last occupant of the car; who sat in the back seat for nearly fifteen minutes before the door of the house opened. "Get in here before the neighbors see you!" the woman shouted. She slammed the door shut again. It was another minute before the car's last occupant opened his door and stepped out. He closed the door softly and moved around to the back where he pulled a trunk and a rather large birdcage from the boot.

The boy sighed heavily before picking one end of the trunk up and dragging it to the front step of the house. He left it there, turned to fetch the birdcage and stopped, staring straight at him. The boy scowled at him and his wand slid from a holster on his wrist to his hand. Never taking his eyes from him, the boy warily retrieved the cage from the drive. He walked backwards to the house, opened the door, set the cage inside and heaved the trunk in the door. He then stood in the door glaring across the street at him.

"BOY, SHUT THE DOOR!" a voice bellowed from the house. "THE BLOODY DAMN AIR CONDITIONER IS ON."

The boy spared a glance over his shoulder before returning his attention to him. After a second, he raised his wand and mouthed, "You're dead," before backing into the house and closing the door.

Harry Potter's hand shook as he let his wand slip back into the wrist holster Bill Weasley had given him when the train had arrived at King's Cross Station. Bill had shown him how to use it just before he'd been forced to leave with his aunt and uncle and he had spent the ride home from the station continually practicing the action that moved the wand from the holster to his hand and back again. A malevolent glare, along with a mention of missing the deadline of his first letter to his 'Freak' friends three days from now had silenced his relatives' protests.

Harry grabbed Hedwig's cage and hurried up the stairs to his room. He set the cage in its place and quickly moved to look out the window. The man was still there. Between his hooded muggle sweatshirt, which he wore up to hide his face, and jeans, he looked like any other muggle. Even his dragon hide boots, which had been the telltale Harry had picked out identifying him as a wizard, would pass by a muggle as nothing more than a well made pair of leather boots. Harry swore silently when he realized the man's gaze was focused on his window before he had even stepped in front of it. Harry continued to watch as a young couple walked down the street. They passed not two feet from the man without even realizing he was there.

"BOY, GET THIS TRUNK OUT OF THE ENTRY!"

Harry scowled and ignored his uncle. After learning from Dumbledore exactly why he needed to return to his aunt's house each summer he couldn't imagine how any of Voldemort's followers had found him. The muggle dress really confused him as to if it was indeed one of his enemy's lap dogs standing across the street. "You'd think if he was from the Order, he'd give some kind of signal instead of just standing there," Harry muttered. Almost as if the figure had heard him, he reached up and pushed the hood of his sweatshirt back revealing a head of red hair tied back in a long ponytail. Across the distance they locked eyes, continuing to measure the other. After a second Bill Weasley raised a hand and gave him the finger.

Harry blinked; and it took him a second to realize Bill was taking the mickey. He remembered the first time he'd ever seen Bill and the impression that he was just, simply, cool. Seeing him now, he felt even more strongly that he'd been right. Harry couldn't help the grin that broke his sour expression and returned the gesture. Bill smirked and gave a quick wave before he simply disappeared from sight.

"BOY!" Uncle Vernon bellowed. Harry sighed and turned to retrieve the rest of his belongings.

* * *

 **HPHPHP**

* * *

One week later, Bill sat down on the rickety chair in Harry's room. The clock read 2:50am and Harry was sound asleep with his back to him. Bill kicked the bed. "Get up, Potter."

Harry didn't move. Bill kicked the bed again. "Come on dumbass; even Ron couldn't sleep through that.

"Go away," Harry muttered.

"Get over yourself, Potter," Bill said. "I haven't got the time, nor the inclination, to deal with your self-loathing."

"Then leave."

"You've got till the count of three to turn around and look at me." Bill waited a half beat before beginning his count. "One… Two… Three. Don't say you weren't warned."

Harry let out a yelp and shot up in the bed, trying to fend off the stream of ice water from Bill's wand. "KNOCK IT OFF," he shouted.

Bill continued to soak him for a good ten seconds before he stopped. "Damn that was fun," he laughed.

"Piss off!"

Bill smirked. "Should have got up I guess, or maybe warded your room." He tossed Harry his glasses.

Harry put them on and glared malevolently at him. "Arsehole."

"Glad I've got your attention. To repeat, why didn't you ward your room?"

Harry shrugged. "Don't know how. And I'm under age and can't do magic outside of school," he added.

Bill watched him for a second before he moved to slip his hand in the long leather duster he was wearing. He produced a sheaf of parchment from inside. "You and I need to talk." He tossed the sheaf of parchment on the bed. Harry scooted away from it. Worried it's a portkey?" Bill asked.

"How do I know it isn't?" Harry countered as only a teenager could.

Bill laughed. "Give it a rest, Potter. Do you really think I'd bother to wake you up for a nice chat before I hauled you away to my master if I was one of Tom's sycophants?"

Harry blinked rapidly. "How do you know his real name?" he asked carefully?"

"Tom Marvolo Riddle," Bill said. He paused. "Ginny told me."

"Oh," Harry said. He glanced down at the sheaf of parchment for a second before focusing on Bill again. "How is she? Is her ankle better?"

"Nice to see you remembered she was hurt this time around."

"What's that mean?"

"You think she wasn't upset over Christmas when she found out you'd forgotten what happened to her with Riddle's diary?" Bill asked. Harry had the good sense to look away. A second later, Bill drew Harry's attention back. "Ginny tells me nearly everything."

"I'm sorry," Harry answered. "I'm not always good at paying attention to other people."

Bill smirked. "Yeah, well you haven't exactly been taught well so I'll let it slide this time. But you might do well to listen to Hermione a bit more. She's been trying to knock some sense into you and Ron for quite a while now."

Harry scowled. If he'd listened to Hermione he might have stopped to think long enough to check with Snape about Sirius. It might have saved his life. Harry looked back up at Bill. Hesitantly, he asked, "How bad was it?"

"Her possession?" Bill asked. Harry nodded. Bill regarded him for a second. "You'll have to ask Ginny."

Harry swallowed. He wasn't really sure what was going on but he somehow felt like Bill was measuring him, and he found he really didn't want to come up short. "I will," he said.

Bill nodded. "Be careful," he warned. "She might kill you if you go about it wrong."

"Ok," Harry agreed. He glanced at the sheaf of parchment Bill had tossed on the bed again. "What's this?"

"The paperwork granting you the right to perform magic out of school; the right to apparate once trained, etc. etc."

Harry blinked and his eyes darted back and forth between the parchment and Bill. "You're kidding."

Bill shook his head. "Nope."

"Why'd Dumbledore do—"

"Dumbledore hasn't got a clue," Bill interrupted.

Harry gaped at him in silence for a full ten seconds. "Sorry?"

Bill leaned forward. "I'm in a bit of a disagreement with Dumbledore."

"Sorry?" Harry said again.

"I'm not gonna beat around the bush, Potter," Bill said. "I've been watchin' you like a hawk for the last week. I've seen how much you're eating. I know how much sleep you're getting. I know you're beating yourself up over what happened at the ministry. Frankly, at your current rate I figure you'll save Riddle the trouble of killing you and just keel over dead in another month. And I figure if that happens the rest of us are pretty much fucked." He sat back in his chair with his arms folded over his chest.

Harry stared at him in disbelief. "You know the prophecy."

Bill shook his head. "Nope, couldn't get it out of the old man. But it don't take a genius to figure it out."

"It doesn't?" Harry croaked.

Bill twirled his wand absently. "Nope. History repeats itself, Potter. And wizarding history is littered with prophecies of dark lords and the hero who will stand against them. We spent all of last year keeping Riddle out of the Hall of Prophecy. Oddly enough, he wanted the one you went in there and got. The fact that you're not babbling incoherently in St. Mungo's after touching it tells me it's about the two of you. His obsession with killing you, tells me the prophecy says if he doesn't, then you're gonna kill him. Dumbledore's obsession with keeping you alive, tells me if you don't snuff ole Tommy boy, there aint no one else who can." Bill paused. "Am I right?"

Harry slowly nodded. "Yes."

"Tell me something, did Dumbledore ever mention there were other options for teaching you occlumency?"

Harry's head snapped up. "No."

"There are," Bill said. "Granted they may not be as skilled a practitioner as Snape, but I'll bet my balls they can teach better. And let me tell you, Fleur wouldn't be happy if I lost that bet."

"Who?" Harry asked.

"Me, for one. Ginny for two."

"Ginny?" Harry asked, shaking his head slightly.

"I've been training her ever since the diary. She's become rather skilled over the last three years. Again, she's not as good as Snape. Neither am I, but I'll bet if one of us had been teaching you, you could have stopped those dreams Riddle was sending you."

As quickly as hope blossomed in Harry's chest it crashed. "Only if I had actually been trying to block them," he said morosely.

"What do you mean?"

Harry sighed. "I kind of stopped trying to block them because I wanted to know what the dream was about. I'd been having it all year, and kept waking up before I got to the end."

Bill pursed his lips and nodded. "If you'd know the dream was being sent to you instead of made within your own mind do you think you would have tried harder to block it out?"

Harry thought about it for a minute. "Maybe," he shrugged. "I don't know. I might have still wanted to find out what was at the end."

Bill sat back in his chair again. "But you would have known it was an image being sent to you on purpose. Not something you'd gotten from Voldemort on accident like you did when dad was bit at Christmas. That might have made your reaction different." Bill paused and thought for a second. "Would it have saved Sirius?" he asked. It was his turn to shrug. "We can't say. The point is, there are other people who could have trained you, or even helped train you. Ginny was right there. But you weren't told she could help and we were told to keep our mouths shut unless you asked for help. I've been blindly listening to Dumbledore; what to do, when to do it, how to do it, forgetting that I can think on my own. He's so revered we think he's infallible, that he never makes mistakes and always does the right thing. I've decide he's making a mistake and I'm not going to blindly follow him on it."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

Bill leaned forward again. "If this is the safest place for you, if you're as untouchable here as he says you are, why on earth do we need to put guards on the house?"

Harry shrugged. "Extra precaution?"

"Waste of man power," Bill countered. "If you're at the Burrow, my mum is there all the time. My dad is there nearly every night. Charlie, myself, Fleur and the twins are there nearly every day. And ever since I put the place under the Fidelius the day you left Hogwarts, the wards are better than they are here. I still couldn't get him to agree to move you.

"I can't understand why he's convinced this place is safer, and I assure you it isn't. But let's assume for a second it is. What good is it to keep you alive if you simply give up the will to live anyway?" Harry shrugged. "See, there it is. When you got to the station a week ago there was a bit of life in you. You weren't great, but you were happy to get the wand holster. You were defiant towards your relatives. You've been here a week and they've already beaten the little recovery you'd managed at school out of you. You need to be where people care about you, Potter. And oddly enough, there seem to be more than a few who do."

Harry studied Bill for nearly a full minute. "So what, you're going to defy the greatest wizard of the last thousand years and take me out of here?"

"Unless you'd rather stay."

"I get a choice?" Harry asked.

"Seems to me you're old enough. You know the risks."

Harry's face pinched. "I can't," he said and lay back on the bed. "Thanks for the offer."

Bill waited for a few seconds before he said. "You know Potter, when I left the house today I glanced at mum's clock. All the hands were pointing to mortal peril and you're not there. Can't imagine why," he added sarcastically. Harry glanced at him. Bill stood up. "Everyone's in mortal peril, Potter; even the Death Eaters. Because the second one of them pisses Tommy boy off, he's gonna snuff 'em." He gave Harry a last look before crossing to the bedroom door. "I'm leaving in fifteen. If you're coming, pack your shit and let's go." Bill left the door open as he left the room and disappeared down the hall.

Fourteen minutes later, Harry's trunk floated down the stairs and hung in the air next to Bill as he leaned against the front door. Harry set Hedwig's cage on the floor. "Dumbledore is gonna be pissed," Bill said.

Harry met his eyes squarely. "The food's better at the Burrow. Let's go."

"You're still gonna need his help."

Harry shrugged. "Deal with that when the time comes."

Bill nodded slowly. "Knew there was a man in there somewhere." He swished his wand in the air, finishing with a sharp jab. "Hang on," he said and held his arm out. Harry grabbed hold and with a sharp crack, he, Bill, his trunk and Hedwig's cage were gone."

* * *

Albus Dumbledore looked up in alarm. He rushed to his desk and picked up the loudly shrilling silver instrument. His face blanched and his stomach clenched into painful knots. "Dear God, no," he breathed. He dropped the instrument and it shattered into a hundred pieces on the hard stone floor of his office. He rushed to his fireplace, threw a pinch of floo powder in and stuck his head in. "Severus!" he shouted. He waited a few seconds before shouting again. "Severus!"

Severus Snape stumbled out of his bedroom a moment later, wrapping a dressing gown around his shoulders as he did. "I trust there is a reason for this, Headmaster," he said, his voice it's normal hiss of disgust.

"My office, Severus," Dumbledore said. "Now."

Severus' lip twitched. "A reason, Sir?"

"The wards on Privet Drive are down."

Severus rarely felt the pangs of fear others did. He thought he'd long ago given up any fanciful notions of coming out of the war and his role as spy for both Dumbledore and The Dark Lord with his life. His normally sallow complexion grayed even more. _Apparently, even the condemned have hope,_ he mused. He stepped forward, waving his wand, transfiguring his dressing gown and sleeping clothes to robes. Dumbledore pulled his head out of the fireplace and Severus stepped in, stepping out of the fireplace in Dumbledore's office as the old man straightened from the floor. "You have a plan?" he asked.

They both paused as a slivery streak flashed into the room and coalesced into the shape of a seagull. "I've got Potter. Taking him to the Burrow," the words spilled from the apparition's ghostly beak and it faded out of existence.

"Headmaster?" Severus prodded him when the wizened old wizard continued to stare at the place the gull had disappeared for some seconds. There was a slight trembling within the room that caused a shiver to go up his spine. When Dumbledore turned to him the raw power and anger of the greatest wizard alive blazed behind his sapphire blue eyes. Severus steadied himself. Few people knew that Dumbledore could be just as frightening as Voldemort; he was one of them. "Would it not be wise to verify this report?" he asked.

"I'm afraid that isn't possible at the moment," Dumbledore answered. He sat down at his desk, steepled his fingers under his chin and closed his eyes in thought.

"The reason for that would be?"

"I'm afraid William placed the Burrow under the Fidelius last week. I've yet to be informed of how I can gain entry by the Secret Keeper."

Severus sat down in the chair opposite Dumbledore. "I sense you do not believe this to be a coincidence."

Dumbledore opened his eyes and braced his hands on his desk with his arms spread wide. "William visited me two days ago."

"Oh?"

"He sought to convince me Harry would be better off if he was moved to the Burrow. He felt he was sliding into a pit of despair that would take months for him to climb out of if he were left at his aunt and uncle's home."

"And you would not hear his arguments?"

"No."

Severus sat back in the chair, pondering the situation. "I can't say as I'm surprised," he eventually said.

Dumbledore quirked an eye. "Oh?"

"Perhaps some that it was William. But not that the Weasley family in general finally had enough of your dictating and did what they thought was right."

"You approve of this action, Severus?"

"You are quite fond of telling me children must be allowed to be children, Headmaster. Also that they need nurturing environments, blah, blah, blah. As I'm given to understand, the environment at Potter's residence is anything but nurturing. They might be the only people alive who loath him more than I or The Dark Lord."

"You do enjoy your moments of 'I told you so.' Severus."

Severus' mouth creased into a thin smile. "What shall your response to this be?"

Dumbledore frowned. "At this time I am uncertain." He closed his eyes and steepled his fingers under his chin again. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Severus. Please don't let me keep you any longer."

Severus took his dismissal in stride. "Certainly, Headmaster," he said. He stood and stepped into the fire to floo back to his quarters.

* * *

Author's notes:

And once again Bill will play a big part in a story I write.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's notes:

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

For those who missed it, this is a stand alone story not related to my Slytherin Harry series. That series is on pause while I try to finish the next book. This was just something I had written a while back and decided to post to keep my readers happy while they waited for what they really want.

An update on Slytherin Harry, I've managed to write about 5000 more words in the last week. It's progress.

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter II**

 **Training**

* * *

"Get up, Potter." Bill punctuated his demand with a kick to Harry's bed.

Harry rolled over. "Whasat?" he muttered sleepily before slipping back into a snore.

Bill kicked the bed again. "Come on. Potter," he growled. "You don't want to find out what happens when I reach three this time."

Harry's eyes snapped open and he bolted upright. The memory of his icy bath two days ago was still fresh in his mind. "I'm up! I'm up."

Bill laughed and then said, "If you're not dressed and in the kitchen in fifteen minutes, you'll wish you were."

"What for?" Harry asked. He rubbed at his eyes, blindly groped for and found his glasses, pushed them on his face and looked at the clock. "It's 4:45!" he yelped. He glanced out the window of his room. It was actually Percy's old room but had been given to him for as long as he wanted it. Or, as Molly had said, till it needed to be turned into a nursery. "What the heck are we doing at bloody quarter to five in the morning?"

"Training," Bill said.

Harry gave him a confused look. And he couldn't help the growing feeling of trepidation at the glint in Bill's eyes. "Training?"

Bill turned and strode from the room. "Fifteen minutes, Potter. Dress like you would for quidditch," he said over his shoulder.

"Quidditch?" Harry asked.

"Fifteen minutes. Don't make me come look for you."

Harry stared into the empty hall before he flopped back on the bed with his arm over his eyes and groaned. "Why the hell do we have to practice quidditch at quarter to bloody five in the morning?" he muttered. He was rather inclined to go back to sleep, but the memory of Bill staring Dumbledore down yesterday convinced him he really didn't want to make him come looking for him. Bill had extracted an Unbreakable Vow from the Hogwarts Headmaster that he would not attempt to take Harry from the Burrow by actions of his own, or direction to others unless there was imminent and immediate danger to Harry's life before he'd allowed him to even speak with Harry.

And then, when Bill had pulled Harry outside the Fidelius to speak with Dumbledore, the two of them had received one of the biggest shocks of their lives. Bill had made Harry the Secret Keeper for the Burrow. He'd reasoned that even though all the Weasleys were targets, the first reason for Voldemort to come after the Burrow was because he was after Harry. And the only way he could actually get past the Fidelius would be if he already had Harry and if that were the case the reason to come after the Burrow wasn't so clear. It was a circular bit of reasoning that had seemed to intrigue Dumbledore.

The shocks had continued for Harry though when Dumbledore had pointed out there was a way past the Fidelius without the Secret Keeper revealing his or her secret. Harry had been chewing on that and had nearly missed Bill's reply, that he was well aware of it because he was the one who had figured out how to defeat it in the first place. And that he had added protections in his own casting of the charm that would block that particular weakness.

Latter, Harry had asked Bill how he and the rest of the Weasleys knew how to find the Burrow when the Secret Keeper hadn't told them. And when exactly had he made Harry the Secret Keeper. The answer was surprisingly simple. The Weasley's knew where the Burrow was because they had all been inside the boundary of the Fidelius when the charm had been cast. And all Bill had needed to do to make Harry the Secret Keeper was wait till he'd fallen asleep, sneak into his room and touch his wand to Harry's temple.

Harry sighed and sat up. No, he decided, he really would rather not find out what would happen to him if Bill had to come looking for him. He climbed from the bed, pulled the appropriate clothes from his trunk, dressed and made his way to the toilet. Exactly 14 minutes and 42 seconds later, he stumbled into the kitchen. Bill was leaning against the counter by the sink, mixing two glasses of what appeared to be chocolate milk.

He pushed one towards Harry. "Drink," he said before chugging the entire contents of his glass.

Harry sniffed at his glass. "What is it?"

"Calories," Bill said. "You're gonna need 'em."

Harry eyed Bill warily. "What are we doing?"

"Told you, training," Bill answered. He set his glass in the sink and headed for the door. "Ready?" Harry shrugged, chugged the glass of 'Calories' as Bill called it, was pleasantly surprised to find it tasted pretty much like the chocolate milk it looked like, set his glass in the sink wiped his mouth with his sleeve and followed Bill out the door."

Bill bounded down the steps and set off at a jog. "Keep up," he ordered. Harry fell in beside him. The pace wasn't bad for the first few minutes but Harry quickly found he was in nowhere near any condition that would be considered in shape. He was soon struggling to keep up and his breath was coming in great gasps.

"Breathe," Bill said. "In… Out… In… Out." And so it went, every two steps breathe out. Draw in for two steps and out again. Draw in for two more steps and out again. "Don't fall back!" Bill barked when Harry started to slow. Harry gritted his teeth and caught back up. Mercifully, it was only a few minutes later that Bill slowed to a stop in small, grassy meadow. Harry bent over, gasping with his hands on his knees. "Stand up and walk," Bill ordered. "Put your hands behind your head like this." He demonstrated, and Harry copied him. "Bending over compacts your lungs. You need to expand them so you can get the air in. Harry just closed his eyes and sucked air down in great gulps. In actuality, Bill allowed him maybe a minute, perhaps two, of rest but Harry was sure it had lasted only seconds before he said, "Ready?"

"To go back to bed?" Harry asked hopefully?"

"In your dreams, Potter."

"Why are we doing this?"

"Cause it's fun," Bill said.

Harry shot him a look. "You're mental."

"You'll thank me the next time you run into a Death Eater."

"Why? Am I going to run him to death?"

"Wizards are lazy, Potter," Bill said. "Most of us don't last long in a fight cause we're ready to keel over and die after two minutes of slinging spells."

"So we're getting in shape then?" Harry asked.

"To start with."

"And then what?"

Bill leveled him with a hard look. "Then I teach you how to be deadly." Harry blinked. He wasn't sure he liked the sound of that. "You do want to live through this war, don't you?" Bill pressed. "Myself, I think it'd be a real pisser to punch ole Tommy Boy's ticket but get myself snuffed in the process." Bill paused and waited. When Harry didn't respond he shrugged. "That's just me though."

"Deadly?" Harry asked.

Bill continued to look at Harry as if he were measuring him. "Dumbledore's deadly; so's Moody. I am. For that matter, Sirius was. I'm told your mum and dad were."

"My mum killed people?"

"It was war, Potter. You don't win by hitting people with Tickling Charms." Harry turned away from him. "It doesn't make her or any of the others a bad person, Potter."

"What does it make her?"

"A hero."

Harry turned to him. "One side's hero is the other's villain."

Bill waited a second before he answered. "To the victor go the spoils… And, the history books. I say she was a hero."

"She was," Harry agreed quietly. He closed his eyes painfully and took a calming breath. "All right, Weasley," he said when he opened them again. "What's next?"

"Rats," Bill answered.

"Rats?"

"See the stakes?" He pointed to one that was about ten yards away. Harry nodded. There were two more, each about ten yards further away. "You sprint," Bill said. "Hard as you can, to the first one, bend, touch the ground and sprint back to the start, bend touch the ground. Then you go to the second stake, touch; back, touch; the last stake, touch; back, touch; back to the second, touch; back, touch, back to the first, touch, back to the start; rest for a minute."

"And then what?"

Bill grinned evilly. "You do it again."

Harry shuddered. He had the distinct feeling he wasn't going to like this any more than the run to the meadow. "How many times?" he asked and then quickly changed his mind. "No, don't answer. I don't want to know."

Bill laughed. "Come on, Potter, let's see what you got." He lined up at the start, clearly indicating that this wasn't just an exercise in torture but a race." Harry lined up next to him. "Ready?"

"Harry took off. "Yep."

Bill bolted after him. "That just earned you an extra set," he growled.

Harry reached the first stake, skidded to a crouch, touched the ground and pushed for the start line again. He wasn't sure but he thought Bill had already made up a step. He skidded to a crouch, touched and pushed for the second stake. When he turned back for the start again, he caught just a glimpse of Bill's face, gritted in determination to catch him. Harry pressed harder, touched the ground at the start and went for the furthest stake. By the time he reached it, Bill was even and by the time he got back to the start the older man was two steps ahead. As they got to the second stake it was near five, but his lead hadn't grown any larger by the time they both touched the ground at the first stake for the second time. Bill's high end was faster than Harry's, but Harry could get there quicker and that little bit faster acceleration allowed him to cross the start, or rather finish line this time only a handful of steps behind the older wizard. Harry bent over double, gasping for air again.

"Stand up," Bill barked. "Hands behind your head." Harry did as he was told and all too soon Bill was telling him to line up again.

Harry glanced over as he lined up. _He's not even breathing hard,_ he groaned internally.

"Ready," Bill said. Harry sucked in a deep breath and held it. "GO!" they both took off. Harry actually beat him to the first stake, and back to the start, but by the time they reached the second stake he was a step behind. And it just got worse from there. Bill was already finishing by the time Harry was touching the ground at the first stake for the last time. He collapsed to his hands and knees the second he crossed the line.

"Get up!" Bill barked. Harry's head dropped but a second later he pushed himself to one knee and then slowly to his feet. He stood with his hands behind his head, his eyes closed in pain, gasping for air. "Line up," Bill said. Blindly Harry moved into position. "Annnd, Go!" Harry took off, not caring in the least where Bill was and how far behind him he finished. He managed to stay on his feet on crossing the finish of his third set of rats but weaved unsteadily as he tried to walk it off and get his thundering heart to slow down. It seemed as if Bill might have allowed him a few seconds longer to recover before he was lining up again, but by the time he finished the fourth rat Harry simply fell to the ground and lay on his back quite certain he was going to die.

"Get up!" Bill barked. Harry pulled one leg up, using the leverage it gave him to roll to his stomach and eventually push to his knees. He stayed there for a second longer than Bill was willing to allow. "I said get up, Potter." Harry staggered to his feet with his hands on his knees weaving and in danger of tipping over. This time he was sure Bill had given him an extra minute to recover but it simply didn't matter and on finishing his fifth rat Harry was flat on his back again. He didn't move when Bill yelled at him to get up so the older wizard simply grabbed him by the shirt and hauled him to his feet." I told you to stand up," he growled. Harry managed to stay on his feet but made no effort to straighten, staying bent over double with his hands on his knees.

"Line up," Bill eventually said.

Harry shook his head, trying to clear it. He straightened, weaved unsteadily, and leaned over again. "I'm done," he gasped.

"Potter," Bill growled, "Get your arse over here." Harry didn't move. A moment later, he was spinning around and crashing to the ground from a weak Bludgeoning Spell to his shoulder. When he managed to focus his eyes again, Bill was standing over him. "Congratulations, Potter. You're dead because you're out of shape."

"Fuck you," Harry retorted.

"Is that all the heart you've got?" he taunted. "Fuck, you wouldn't have lasted a week with Riddle's diary."

Something in Harry snapped, and his anger flared so violently his vision blurred. He rolled to his stomach, pushed himself to his feet and stalked to the start line. "Let's go," he snarled.

Bill lined up next to him. "Ready."

"Yes." Harry said through clenched teeth.

"Go."

Harry finished his sixth rat, and four more no more than ten yards behind Bill. He stayed on his feet after each one, breathing heavily through his nose, his jaw clinched as he held onto the anger fueling him.

"Keep up," Bill said after the last one. He didn't allow Harry any rest at all, just stared off at a slow jog that really was barely more than a walk. Harry fell in behind him, struggling to stay upright on legs no more stable than those of a newborn fawn. It took him nearly five minutes before he could do anything more than watch the ground in front of him and listen to Bill as he told him to breathe in and out. He finally managed to get his breathing under control a few minutes before Bill stopped.

"Drink," Bill said, pointing at an old well.

Harry staggered to the well. He shoved the bucket over the edge, letting the crank spin wildly for the two seconds it took the bucket to plunge into the water below. He slowly cranked it back up and pulled it to the edge of the well again. There were no cups in sight and in his current state the idea of conjuring one was ludicrous so he simply picked the bucket up and tipped it to his face. He let the water spill all over him as he drank, completely empting it, tossed it back in the well and repeated the process again before setting the bucket down on the edge of the well again.

"Get me some," Bill said. Harry turned to glare at him. "Move, Potter," Bill said. Harry continued to glare at him. "You're familiar with Muggle martial arts?" Harry nodded. "And you know how the relationship between student and teacher works?"

"Yes."

"Then fill the bucket." Harry slammed his elbow into the bucket, sending it plummeting to the bottom of the well. He continued to glare at Bill. "When we're training, you will call me Sir. You will do what I tell you, when I tell you, how I tell you. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Sir."

"If you fail to do so, you will repeat the exercise until I am satisfied." He stopped and waited.

"Yes, Sir."

"You will be in the kitchen at 5:00am every morning. You will have the same drink prepared for you this morning, prepared for me. You will do this rain or shine. I don't care if it's 35 degrees or 0 with sleet and snow. In return, I will train you. I will treat you with respect. I will not demean you as I did earlier in regards to the diary. Are we understood?"

"How do I know I'm not wasting my time?"

"I'm a black belt, 1st degree instructor, in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and an International Master of Sports in Russian Sambo; both of which I achieved in less than half the time of the average student. Those speak for my expertise in your physical and mental training. "I'm gonna teach your mind how to make your body keep going when it's ready to give up. This," he tapped his head, "is the most powerful weapon ever created. You need to make your mind and body hard. I can show you how. I'm not gonna lie; the next two weeks are gonna be hell. There will be days you'll think you're in Hell. But six weeks from now you might decide it's actually fun.

"On the magical side of things, I'm one of the top five curse and ward experts in the world. I took down the wards on Privet Drive; wasn't really all that hard to do. I'm the person who figured out a way to beat the Fidelius. And I've improved my version of it so what I did figure out can't take it down. I'm the person who figured out what was in that prophecy before you and Dumbledore told me it yesterday. I know we're still gonna need Dumbledore and a bunch of other people to take Riddle down, but I'm twenty seven years old, Potter. The stuff I've done so far would take the average person another 20-30 years to accomplish. I'm bad ass, and I can make you bad ass too. I'll make you deadly with your hands, your feet, your wand, and most importantly, your mind. And if you wanna live through this, you're gonna need to be. Because up to this point you've been a whole lot more lucky than good. And one day, I can promise you, you're luck is gonna run out, and if you aint good, then you're gonna be dead."

Harry stared at Bill in awe. "I've been trying to tell people for years it wasn't me but something someone else did that allowed me to live. I've never done any of it completely alone but no one ever listens."

"And that's why you might actually make it out of this alive. You know you need to be better."

Harry nodded and Bill let him mull things over for a second. Harry eventually looked up again. "Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and…?"

"Russian Sambo," Bill provided.

"Right," Harry said. "I've never heard of those before."

"I'll give you some books that will tell you about their histories and help you prepare for the actual physical aspect of performing the various holds, counters and strikes. I expect you to read them."

"Ok," Harry said.

"Sir, Potter."

"Sorry, Sir. I'll read them."

"Good. Now, my water. I'm thirsty, and we need to get going."

"We're not done?"

Bill laughed. "No. We are not done, Potter."

"Bugger," Harry said before he turned and cranked the bucket up for Bill.

Bill drank the same way Harry had, letting the water spill all over him as he did. He emptied the bucket, tossed it in the well again, and said, "One more, please."

Harry dutifully cranked the bucket back up and waited for Bill to finish. Once he had, he set of again. "Keep up." Harry groaned and fell in behind him.

Two hours later, Harry staggered up the steps to The Burrow quite certain he was going to pass out. Bill had pushed him through another hour of running and other physical activities that included pull-ups, situps, pushups, a hellish exercise called a burpie where he would drop to the ground, do a pushup, pull his feet forward, jump straight up in the air as high as he could and then repeat the process till he literally fell over; to name but a few. They had then spent a half hour with Bill teaching Harry how to disarm an opponent with a simple wrist twist before finishing with a half hour of stretching before Bill had dismissed him with orders to eat and shower before he even thought of lying back down in his bed. Harry pushed the back door open, stumbled to the table, crashed into a chair and let his head smack heavily on the table.

Ginny stopped in mid bite. "What happened to you?"

"Your brother," Harry's muffled voice answered. It came out sounding more Yowerw bwovwer. He hadn't bothered to pick his head up, and his cheek was rather flattened against the table, preventing him from being able to properly form words.

Molly hadn't turned around immediately upon hearing the kitchen door open but she did when she heard Harry's garbled response. "Oh my," she said quietly.

The back door opened again and Bill stepped in. "Sit up, Potter," he barked.

Harry pushed himself up. "Yes, Sir."

Ginny dropped her spoon, splattering eggs across the table. "Sir?"

Bill sniffed. "You stink, Potter. Shower before food. I'm sure my little sister doesn't want to spend half her breakfast trying not to retch." Harry pushed his chair back and mechanically left the kitchen. Molly and Ginny watched him go with wide and somewhat frightened eyes.

Molly turned on Bill. "It won't do the boy any good getting away from his aunt and uncle if you kill him, William."

"He'll be fine," Bill said. He filled a glass with water, downed it and filled it again.

"He didn't look fine to me," she said dubiously.

Bill downed half his glass. "I know what I'm doing, Mum." He finished the glass off and set it in the sink. "I'm gonna go make sure he didn't fall asleep."

"Why did he call you sir?" Ginny blurted.

"Because he's the student and I'm the teacher, Sprite."

"Oh," Ginny said. Bill's answer really didn't clarify anything for her but she was still trying to process the whole scene and wasn't quite up to her normal quick wits. That and it was early. She was a notorious late sleeper; worse even than Ron. But she was trying to turn over a bit of a new leaf this summer, so she'd promised herself she'd get out of bed no later than 8:00. She hoped it would make going back to school and getting up at 7:00 a bit less shocking this fall. And so far, except for the first day after her and her mum's most recent fight over her working at the twins' shop for the summer, she was managing it

Bill ruffled her hair as he went past. "Back in a bit."

"Geroff me, Brother Dearest," Ginny growled playfully. Bill was her favorite brother, and it was a familiar exchange. One she hoped they would never outgrow; no matter how much she pretended to be angry with him. Bill laughed and Ginny went back to her breakfast.

She was just finishing when Harry, freshly showered, stumbled back in the kitchen. He seemed somewhat recovered from his first appearance but he still sat down heavily and laid his head down on the table wearily.

Here you are, Dear," Molly said. She set a plate on the table next to his face. It was another minute before Harry sat up and he had to put his hands on the table to do it. And then it was another minute more with him oblivious to Molly and Ginny watching his every move before he picked up his fork and eyed the plate. After another second he seemed to decide the hashbrowns would be easiest and scooped up a forkful. Just the first taste seemed to give him a bit of life and in short order he'd polished off the two eggs, three rashers of bacon, two sausages, and hash browns.

"Would you like more, dear?" Molly asked as Harry downed his glass of orange juice.

Harry set the glass down and considered for a second. He'd barely eaten since getting home from school. Even yesterday, with Molly's cooking available, he'd only eaten small meals. But today he was simply too famished and too tired for thoughts of Sirius to put him off eating. "If it's not too much trouble that would be great."

"It's no trouble at all dear," Molly said. "You can have, Bill's and I'll whip him up another plate." At that moment, Bill came in the kitchen and sat down. Harry glanced at him, and his eyes seemed to suddenly expand with an unpleasant revelation.

"I'll wait," he said. The thought of what Bill might do to him tomorrow morning if he made him wait for his mum to fix up another plate was quite simply too horrifying to consider.

"No, I insist," Molly said. "It is, after all, Bill's fault you're so hungry." She set the plate on the table in front of him.

Harry eyed the plate warily. "On second thought," he said carefully. "Maybe I'm not all that hungry." He pushed the plate across the table to Bill. Bill smirked and picked up his fork. "I think I'll go up to my room for a bit," Harry said. He went to stand but Molly put her hand on his shoulder.

"Sit down, Harry," she said.

At the same time Ginny took the plate away from Bill and pushed it back in front of Harry. "Eat," she said.

Harry looked at the plate like it was filled with flobberworms. "Erm. I'm really…"

"Eat," Ginny said again.

"Now," Molly added.

"But," Harry said.

"Now," Molly and Ginny said together. Harry did a quick calculation in his head that told him whatever Bill did to him tomorrow would be less painful than what Molly and Ginny would do if he didn't eat. He hesitantly picked up his fork and filled it with eggs. "Good boy," Molly said when he put the bite in his mouth. She turned back to the stove and began cooking up a new plate for Bill. Harry refused to look at his tormentor and went about finishing off his breakfast. Bill coughed and Harry nearly choked on his eggs as it had sounded distinctly like Bill had said 'Rats'.

When he looked up Bill was leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed, smirking at him. Harry swallowed with difficulty. He glanced at Ginny who was alternately watching him and Bill with rapt attention. He quickly began eating again and was pushing his plate back just as Molly turned with Bill's new breakfast.

"Oh," she said, surprised to see him push the plate back and stand. "My goodness that was quick. Would you like more?"

"No!" Harry yelped. He shot Bill a quick glance. Truthfully, he could eat more, but he really just wanted to get away from the eldest of the Weasley boys as quickly as he could.

"You're, sure?" she asked. "I've got this plate all ready."

"No!" Harry yelped again. "No," he said again, a bit more controlled, "I couldn't eat another bite. Really. It was wonderful." An idea flashed into Harry's head that startled him half out of his wits but a half second of thought later he came to the conclusion it would guarantee his escape. So on his way around Molly, he stopped long enough to put his hands on both her shoulders, give her a semi hug and a peck on the cheek. "Thank you very much, Mrs. Weasley," he said and quickly left the kitchen." Ginny's jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

"Oh!" Molly exclaimed. Her hand came up and absently touched her cheek.

Bill flicked his wand and caught the plate she nearly dropped. He set his breakfast down and picked up his fork. "Gotta admit, that is one quick witted kid." He reached over and closed Ginny's mouth for her.

"Who was that?" she asked. "Are you sure you didn't go to 40 Privet Drive or something?"

Bill swallowed. "Nope, that's Potter."

"No it's not," Ginny said. "Harry doesn't show emotion; unless it's anger. And he sure as hell doesn't do public displays of affection."

"Language please, Ginny," Molly said.

Bill chuckled. "That wasn't a PDA."

Ginny decided to just ignore her mother. There was a reason she had asked politely. She'd refused to let her work at the shop this summer so she could earn a bit of pocket money. That Ginny was still angry was an understatement. She was currently speaking to her mother only when she had no other choice. "It most certainly was," Ginny countered.

Bill shook his head. "Nope, it was perfectly executed diversion and escape."

At that moment, Ron came in and flopped into a seat. "Did I miss breakfast?" Molly grabbed Bill's plate and set it in front of Ron.

"Hey," Bill cried.

"No," Molly said. "Eat up. You're due at the shop in half an hour and no son of mine is going to work without showering; even if it is some silly joke shop."

"Thanks, Mum," Ron said and dug in. "Wha?" he asked around a mouthful of eggs when he caught Bill glaring.

"Nothing," Bill said. "Mum, do you think I could get some breakfast?"

Molly folded her towel and set it on the counter. "I'm sorry, William, the kitchen's closed now," she said on her way out.

Bill stared after her for a second before turning to Ginny. "Sprite?" he asked hopefully.

Ginny scowled at her mother's back. She might have taken part in making Harry eat a second helping that forced Bill to wait but it had nothing to do with supporting her mother. That had been about Harry eating because he needed to. This however was not. Her mum hadn't liked that what Bill had said was partially true so she'd taken his breakfast and given it to Ron as punishment and wasn't going to fix him another plate. The unfair punishments her mother handed out for truths she didn't like sat with her about as well as the lines she'd etched into her forearm with a blood quill last year for Madam Umbridge. Ginny's scar read, _I will not repeat the lies Harry Potter tells_. It was very faint; as she'd not been made to do the number of lines Harry had, but it was there. Breakfast certainly wasn't a blood quill, but it was the reason that stuck in Ginny's craw. Her mother had done it because it was true. And in Ginny's eyes it seemed anytime any of her mother's children didn't agree with what she wanted, whether it was true or not, she found some petulant way of punishing them.

"Sure, Bill," she agreed.

Bill ruffled her head again. "Thanks, Sprite." Ginny playfully shoved his hand off. "Get an extra song for your I-Touch this week," he said.

Ginny beamed at him. "Really?"

"Sure. Breakfast's gotta be worth that."

Ginny gave him a huge hug but then pulled back. "What are waffles worth?" she asked.

"Five," he said immediately.

"Deal," Ginny agreed.

"Excellent!" She planted a kiss on his cheek and moved to the stove.

"What'd I miss?" Ron asked.

"Harry kissed mother," Ginny deadpanned.

Ron choked and started coughing. "You're evil, Sprite," Bill laughed.

Ginny laughed, but it hid the tear that slipped down her cheek. _I might as well be, seems most everyone but you actually believes that, or that it's just a matter of time; especially her,_ she silently berated herself.

"Ginny?" Bill asked.

 _Damn,_ she swore silently. "I'm fine Bill. Just one of _those_ days that girls have."

"Didn't need to know that," Ron said.

"Oh grow up, Ron," Bill and Ginny said together.

* * *

Author's notes:

Yeah, the I-touch might be a stretch, but I figure Bill might have been exposed to a few things like that by some of his Muggle-born friends and I could see figuring out how to make one work with magic and giving it to Ginny. And yes, I know the year in the story is 1996 and the I-pod didn't come out till 2007ish. It's alternative universe, go with it.

Sorcerer's Muse


	3. Chapter 3

Author's notes:

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter III**

 **Dog Days**

* * *

And so the next week went. Harry would wake at exactly 4:49 in the morning, giving him enough time to dress, go to the bathroom and brush his teeth so that he was in the kitchen 2 minutes before 5:00. He'd mix the two glasses of 'Calories' as Bill called it, chug his down, set the glass in the sink and go out to the porch where he would attempt, in the minute or so that he had before Bill showed up, to work out one or two of the aches permeating his body. All too soon the door was slamming shut and Bill was bounding down the steps with a sharply spoken, "Keep Up!"

They ran every day, including the hated 'rats'. But other exercises rotated through. Instead of pull ups, he might climb a robe ladder or scale a 40 foot vertical cliff. Sit ups were replaced with toe touches, and then an agonizing exercise where Harry would lay on his back while Bill stood over him. He'd grab hold of Bill's ankles and lift his legs straight up in the air. Bill would then throw them back down, straight, left, right, the direction varied, and Harry never knew which way he'd be fighting to keep his feet from touching the ground. And if his feet did touch the ground, that earned him a rest; of sort. His stomach would get a break, but he'd be on his hands doing 50 pushups and then on his back again trying to avoid more of them.

Harry couldn't even complain that Bill didn't participate. He ran every step with Harry, did every pull up, sit-up, burpie, and toe touch with him. If Harry earned extra pushups, Bill did those too. Every day began with two hours of intense physical training designed to increase his endurance and strength. There would be a short half hour of basic hand-to-hand combat where Bill would show him simple wrist holds designed to disarm an opponent. Harry was amazed with how it could take as few as two fingers to twist someone's wrist around in a manner that would have them dropping their wand or whatever other weapon they had in an instant. It was even cooler to see how a slight increase in pressure on that hold could bring a person to their knees; even if they were much stronger than you. It was all about applying pressure and leverage in the correct manner and he found it fascinating. He'd devoured the first two books Bill had given him and was currently working through a third.

After the short lesson on various holds they would stretch. This was the one area where Bill didn't participate. Instead, he helped Harry by not so gently pushing, pulling and prodding his limited flexibility along. Harry felt Bill's help was an attempt to forcibly rework his limbs into the shape of a pretzel. He was pretty sure he wasn't designed to bend like that.

After Harry had completed his training he would drag himself to his room for a change of clothes and then the loo for a shower before going back to the kitchen and the mountainous breakfast he was consuming. He was eating four eggs, six rashers of bacon, eight sausages, a pile of hash browns that consumed two whole potatoes in the making, toast or pancakes as available and a half gallon of whatever juice Molly had available that morning.

He would then clear his dishes to the sink, give Molly the same semi hug he had on his first day of training along with that quick peck on the cheek and quietly thank her. He'd pointedly ignore the look he was getting from Ginny at this display, exit the kitchen and stumble to his room where he would promptly pass out till lunch. Usually, he'd just miss Ron as he made his way down to breakfast and by the time he got up for lunch Ron was at work at the twin's shop. Harry would painfully roll out of bed, spend ten minutes working out the worst of his kinks and sore muscles, make a stop in the loo and then head down for lunch. At lunch he was consuming even more food than breakfast; usually two sandwiches, piled high with one meat or another, lettuce, cheese and tomato, along with an apple and a pear, a generous portion of crisps a pickle and a full half-gallon of milk.

After lunch, Harry would wander the grounds of the Burrow, simply exploring the Weasley's childhood home. Sometimes he'd take one of the books Bill had lent him and if he found a spot he liked he'd lay down to read for a bit in the sun. But mostly, he tried to avoid brooding.

Ron would come home from work around 6:00 and he and Harry would play gobstones or exploding snap or wizard's chess till dinnertime. After dinner, the whole family, consisting of whoever was there that evening would gather in the living room to chat for a bit. Harry usually found himself heading for bed by 9:30.

This particular day Harry stood with even more stiffness than the previous few days. His training had been going on for all of six days and up till this morning he'd been blessed with beautiful weather. Today had brought his first experience training in bad weather. It had been cold, only about 12 degrees and the rain had been steady. He'd been soaked through after ten minutes. And he'd been soaked to the bone and frozen through by the time they had finished. He'd spent a full fifteen minutes in the shower letting the heat beat on his aching back. And he'd gone to breakfast dressed as if it were February, not mid June. It wasn't till after his nap and lunch that he'd discarded the heavy jumper he'd been wearing.

"It's a bit early, mate," Ron said when Harry bid his goodnights and stood.

"I'm tired," was all Harry said and hobbled to the stairs. He paused at the base, eyeing them with no small amount of distaste that they dared stand in the way of him getting to his bed.

"Potter," Bill said.

The familiar tone of his command voice stopped Harry with one foot on the step. He seemed to contract, as if he expected not to like what was going to come next. "Make it 7:00 tomorrow."

It took Harry a second to process the change in plans before he looked up at Bill. "7:00, Sir?" While this was happening Fleur had stood and was now at the steps at Harry's side.

"Come along, 'Arry," she said. She put an arm around his shoulder and helped him make his way up the stairs to his room.

Harry surprised himself by allowing her to help. He just simply hurt, and honestly hadn't been sure he could manage the steps without resorting to crawling. "Thank you, Fleur," he said. He winced as she eased him to the loo.

"Go brusz your teeze and use ze toilet," she said. I will wait en your room." Harry didn't even process what she'd said and mechanically went about his evening bathroom ritual. When he shuffled into his room he stopped in the door in confusion. His bed was gone. In its place was a table that came up to about waist high. It was covered in pristine white sheets with a couple of odd shaped pillows set on it. It also seemed to have some strange appendage on one end. His end table had been transfigured also. It was taller and held an assortment of what appeared to be lotion bottles along with a small black cauldron. The room was quite warm; enough so that you wouldn't want more than a pair of shorts and a light tee-shirt. Soft, soothing music gently filled the room and the sounds of a calmly bubbling stream or brook came from the fountain in the corner. Of everything that had changed, the most worrisome to Harry was the sight of his plaid boxers laid out on top of the sheets covering the table; that, and Fleur sitting in the chair waiting for him.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Fleur stood and turned her back to him. "Change," she said. "Put on only zee shorts zen lay down on zee table on your stomach. You may cover yourself wizz zee sheets."

"Erm," Harry said. "Does Bill."

"William asked me to do zis for you."

"He did?"

"Oui. Quickly now. I 'ave to do zis for 'im also yet tonight."

Harry gaped at her back. "Fleur," he said slowly. "I'm not sure I want to be a part of whatever this is; even if you and Bill are in agreement about it."

Fleur laughed; that tinkling bright sound that brought so many men and more than a few women to their knees. "Oh 'Arry, Luv. I am flattered by your conclusion, but I am 'ere to give you a massage; not take somezing from you your future wife might kill me for."

"A massage?"

"Oui. Now change. I am tired of you speaking to my back."

"Couldn't you step outside?"

Fleur laughed again. "You are too modest, 'Arry. Now change." Harry hesitated but he could see he wasn't going to win this argument. And frankly, he was just too damn tired. He quickly shed his shirt and belt, kicked of his trainers and socks, shot a glance at Fleur and undid the button and zipper on his trousers. "Besides," Fleur teased, "'ow could I possibly peek if I am outside zee door? "

Harry froze, but she was most definitely not peeking. A quick glance told him there were no mirrors in the room either. He dropped his trousers and pants, grabbed the clean boxers and pulled them on as quickly as he could. He stuffed his discarded clothes into a ball and tossed them in his trunk. It was bad enough that Fleur had gone through his things to find the boxers. He really didn't want her staring at his dirty grungies while she gave him a massage.

"Ok," he said once he'd lain down on the table and pulled the sheets up over his back.

Fleur moved to the table in that glide only she seemed to be capable of. "Scoot forward and lay your 'ead 'ere. Harry did as she said and was pleasantly surprised to find just how comfortable it was to let his face hang in the little, basket-like pillow. "Good, now arms at your sides," she said. She positioned his arms as she wanted them and then pulled the sheet down low on his back, tucking the edge of it into the band of his boxers. Harry tried not to pay attention to where and when her hands brushed against his bare skin. He'd never been susceptible to her veela powers, but being half naked in a room with a very attractive woman whose hands were brushing against him here and there as she made her preparations was a distracting event.

Harry couldn't see what she was doing but she spoke softly to let him know. "We will start wit zee 'ot rocks," she said. "Zey will 'elp loosen zee muscles for when I massage zem." She put one hand flat on his back and slowly moved it about. She would stop on occasion and gently press her fingers into his muscles before placing a warm stone from the cauldron on the spot. Harry soon realized she was 'looking' with her hands to find the various knots in his muscles, each one was getting a rock to help it relax. It took her a few minutes to set the rocks on his back and then she proceeded to uncover his legs and place rocks in a line all down the back of his legs. She set the last rock in place and moved to the head of the table.

"And now we begin," she said, her voice soft and gentle. Her hands slipped around the muscles on the back of his neck and began to kneed away his aches and pains. "If I press to 'ard or somzing 'urts you will please tell me." Harry's only response was a blissful moan.

He had no idea how long the experience lasted, but while it did, it was the most heavenly, wonderful hour or so of his life. In the end it didn't even bother him that Fleur's hands had thoroughly kneaded his bum through the sheets and boxers, or his fully exposed chest when he'd eventually rolled to his back. Because after he had gotten over his initial shock of her hands on him, there had been nothing sexual in what she had done. And what she had done was fix his aching body.

Fleur eventually pulled the sheets down over his legs and up over his chest. Her last actions were to smooth the sheets over him in two long swipes from his shoulders to his ankles. She bent by his head and whispered. "When you wake up, you will drink zee water en zee glass," she said quietly. "All of et."

Harry nodded. "K." She quickly kissed him on each cheek and that was the last he remembered. Harry woke up a few hours later to find the massage table had reverted to the original form of his bed. He glanced at his clock had a moment of panic when he saw it was 5:15 but then he realized it was set for 6:45 and he remembered he wasn't due downstairs till 7:00 this morning. He spied the glass of water waiting for him, downed it and was asleep again in seconds.

When Harry made his way to the kitchen a few minutes before seven he found Fleur waiting for him. Morning," he said.

She smiled brilliantly at him. "'Ow are you feeling?"

Harry grinned. "Better than I have all week. I think Bill's trying to kill me."

"Phish," Fleur said. "'E won't kill you. "'E knows et would upset me too much."

Harry smirked. "What about pushing me to within an inch of my life?"

Fleur gave him a smile that was quite predatory in nature. "I like men 'ho are pushed en zis manner."

Harry swallowed and croaked, "you do?"

"Oui. Et makes zeir bodies 'ard, and strong." Harry goggled at her. "Women like zat, 'Arry. You are going to be very popular at school zis fall."

Harry scowled. "I'm already popular; for all the wrong reasons. I don't want anything to do with a girl who doesn't know me here," he said pointing at his chest over his heart.

Fleur smiled and crossed the room to him. "Zat es very wise. Somezing et took me a time to understand. I 'ave my own issues wiz too much attention. Remember what you say zis morning, and I pray zat you find zee girl 'ho can see beyond your legend and stunning good looks to your 'eart." She kissed him on each cheek and turned for the back door. "Drink, and come along," she said.

Harry considered her as he chugged through the glass of 'Calories', Fleur's version tasted like strawberries, before following her out to the yard. It was readily apparent that she held him in some kind of esteem. The only reason he could think of was because he had pulled Gabrielle from the lake along with Ron when she had failed to rescue her sister from the merpeople. The fact that neither Ron nor Gabrielle had ever been in any real danger didn't seem to matter to her. He had _saved_ her sister, and for that he was afforded treatment near what she lavished Bill with. It was a bit discomforting at times. But Harry found that as it continued and time went on that he kind of liked it. It was like he was a treasured little brother to her. And the fact that her most treasured _possession_ , as it were, was her little sister, raised his respect for her significantly. Her veela nature meant that she could have nearly anything she chose from any one of thousands of men. But what she treasured was her sister, and a man who could actually tell her no. He followed her in silence at a brisk pace to the orchard and stopped in an area that had been cleared and a low platform had been built. There were two soft mats on the platform with space for a few more, along with a number of foam blocks of various sizes.

"What are we doing?" Harry asked. He followed suit when Fleur slipped her shoes off and stepped up on the platform.

Fleur turned to him and smiled gently. "As wit William, you are zee student and I am zee teaczer. You will treat me as you treat 'im, only as I am a woman, you will treat me better. You will treat me as William treats 'is mozer."

"Ok," Harry said.

"Do you wish for me to call you 'Arry, or Potter?"

"Harry."

"I will endeavor to pronounce et correctly. Now, I am afraid I 'ave struggled wizz what you will call me. I am no Sir." She paused and grinned at him.

Harry returned her grin. "I don't think anyone could ever make that mistake."

"Nor do I like Mistress," she went on. "And Madam…"

"Is out," Harry interrupted. "I don't want to be reminded of that Umbridge bitch." Fleur arched an eye at him. "Sorry," he said. "I won't interrupt again."

She smiled. "I was about to say zee same zing and ask you if you 'ad a zought on what you would like to call me."

Harry considered it for a few seconds. "Well, I think, Stunning, might upset Bill a bit, so how about Ms. Delacour?"

She smiled. You may compliment me all you like 'Arr.." she paused, pressing her lips together distastefully, "Harry."

"There you go," he encouraged.

Fleur shook her head. "You 'ave no idea 'ow 'ard zat is."

Harry chuckled. "As you just massacred the H in three different words, I think I get the picture."

Fleur scowled at him. "Ms. Delacour will do nicely."

Harry wiped the smile from his face. "Yes, Ms. Delacour."

"Good," she said. She stepped onto one of the mats, obviously indicating they were about to start. "You will find Yoga to be botz easier and more difficult zan your training wizz William."

"Ok," Harry agreed.

"Zis is very easy. "Simply watch me and try to duplicate ze position of my body. Et es very important to work from a place of calm 'ere." She placed her hand low on Harry's chest. "Zis es your center, and your energy comes from 'ere. To release et, and allow et to flow, you must empty zis." She touched him with one finger on his forehead. "One of zee best ways to do zis is to count. Count each breazz. Allow yourself to focus on zat alone, and you will begin to feel zee energy stored 'ere," she touched his lower chest again, "being released. Are you ready to begin?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, Ms. Delacour."

"Good, now yoga poses 'ave many levels of difficulty. We will start wiz zee very simplest. You should be able to perform zee physical part of zee pose wizout difficulty. But zee important part is your mind and your center. Concentrate on zem botz.

"Ok," Harry agreed.

"First pose," Fleur said. "Child's pose."

Harry blinked as she assumed the pose, which seemed to be nothing more than curling in a ball on your knees on the floor. He shrugged and copied her. Fleur unfolded herself, examined Harry, made some slight adjustments to where his legs and arms were and resumed the position herself. "We will 'old each position for a count of five breazzs. Breazze trough your nose and count."

Harry followed Fleur through various poses with her repositioning him numerous times. It was frustrating to find that no matter how perfectly he seemed to copy her position, she always found room to make a minor adjustment. He found his ability to balance tested a number of times, and had to use spotting blocks on more than one occasion in order to contort his body properly. He was just getting to the point where he might blow up when Bill joined them.

"Easy, Potter," he said. "This stuff is a bitch. He unrolled another mat, grabbed a set of spotting blocks and joined Harry in the Downward Dog pose. "Been doin' this with her for over a year and I still look like an idiot."

The effect of Bill joining them and showing his weakness for the art quelled Harry's growing irritation near instantly. "How does she do that?" he demanded. "does she even have bones, or is it just muscle and ligaments?"

Bill chuckled. "Don't worry, you can get back at her tomorrow."

"I can?"

"She'll be joining us tomorrow. 5:00am. Mix up breakfast for both of us. And don't give her the chocolate. It'll piss her off… And trust me, you don't want to deal with a pissed of veela."

"You will bozz be silent," Fleur said.

"Yes, Ms. Delacour," Harry said.

"As you say, Ms. Delacour," Bill said.

It didn't take a genius for Harry to catch what Bill implied with his version of Ms. Delacour. Fleur's blush and refusal to look at her grinning boyfriend confirmed it.

Ten minutes later, she dismissed Harry for the day. "And no going back to bed, Potter," Bill said. Find something to do.

"Yes, Sir."

As he made his way to The Burrow Harry paused in front of Molly's rose bushes. He snapped off a particularly attractive white one and resumed his trek to the kitchen.

"Hi Harry," Ginny said when he entered. "Oh, did you bring me flowers?"

Harry coloured. Along with Ginny's scrutiny, he could feel Mrs. Weasley watching him too. He was just glad no one else had managed to join them yet this morning. "It's for Fleur. Sort of a thank you for last night."

Ginny arched an eye. "Steeling Bill's girlfriend, Potter. That takes balls."

"Ginevra," Molly admonished her. As had been the case for most of the time he'd been at he Burrow this summer, Ginny just ignored her mother. Harry had asked Ron about it the other day. Ron had said things were really tense between them; had been for a number of years and that when Mrs. Weasley had refused to allow Ginny to work at the twin's shop this summer it had gotten pretty ugly. When Harry had said he hadn't noticed it in the past, Ron had shrugged and said they were usually on their best behavior when he was around. And that what he was seeing now was an improvement over Ginny's attitude compared to before he'd arrived.

Harry turned an even deeper red. "I'm not stealing her. She was really nice to me last night and I wanted to thank her."

"Well that's thoughtful of you Harry," Molly said. Come here and let's put it in some water for her. Harry followed dutifully along and watched as she filled a tall vase with water. She poured a bit of sugar in the vase, then made a quick cut across the stem of the rose while holding it in running water before placing it in the vase.

"What did she do?" Ginny asked. Her thoughts on Fleur revolved mostly around the idea that she wasn't good enough for Bill so she was rather curious as to what she had done that could make The-Boy-Who-Is-Oblivious stop and pick a flower for her.

"There," Molly said. She handed it back to him. "Now just set it in front of her place so she knows it's for her. Harry gave her a one armed hug. "You're the best Mrs. Weasley.

Ginny managed to not drop her fork and keep her mouth closed. A week of PDAs from Harry directed at her mother left her wondering what the hell had happened to the clueless boy of the last five years. And now, flowers for Fleur too. "Harry, what did she do?" she asked again.

Harry set the rose down and took his place at the table. "She gave me a massage last night." This time Ginny's fork did hit the table.

"You're having problems holding onto things lately, Ginny," Bill teased as he came in the door with Fleur behind him. Ginny stuck her tongue out at him.

Fleur went to her place at the table and paused when she saw the rose. She frowned at it for a half second before her face brightened and she turned to Harry. She took his face in her hands and kissed him on either cheek. "You're welcome," she said. She took her seat, arranged the vase as she thought proper and beamed at Harry.

"Flirt," Ginny snorted. Harry turned scarlet.

"Be careful, Potter," Bill said seriously. "You don't want to know how many rats you'll do if you start movin' on my girl."

"It was just a thank you," Harry muttered.

"A thank you?" Bill mused. "She works with you for a day and she's getting' thank yous. What do I get?"

Harry's brow frowned for a second but then he brightened. "Ginny, do you have any dung bombs I can borrow?"

"Does it involve tormenting my oldest brother?"

Harry smirked. "Your words. Not mine."

Ginny returned his smirk. "I think I might be able to dig up one or two."

"Thanks, Mum," Bill said when she set his plate down. He picked up his fork. "Potter, I promise, you're gonna regret this tomorrow morning."

"Normal time, Sir?"

"Yes."

"I look forward to it, Sir."

Bill chuckled. "Me too, Potter. Me too.

* * *

 **HPHPHP**

* * *

Harry's second week at the Burrow passed the same as the first; six days of torture with Bill and then a day with Fleur. True to Bill's word, Fleur began joining them most mornings. Harry couldn't help being a bit put out to find she was in nearly as good of condition as Bill. She was also quick, like lightening. She easily left both he and Bill scrambling at the start line when running rats. Both of them had to rely on being faster at the top end to eventually catch and pass her but she made a race of it every time. And her conditioning level meant as Harry slowed down with each rat, she didn't. By the time they were finishing the last sets, she was beating him soundly. Harry did his best to take it in stride. Even if getting in shape would have him eventually beating her it was Bill he'd set his sights on. It might take years yet before he'd developed the speed needed to run with the eldest Weasley son but he was determined to eventually beat him. An added aggravation to Fleur joining them was being made to crank water for her too. But he did; it was part of the agreement. That wasn't to say he wasn't plotting some way of pranking the two of them that would be appropriate.

By the end of his second week, Harry knew his body was adjusting. He was keeping up on the long runs, and rats didn't leave him wobbling about like a drunken Irishman. He was fairly certain that rats on Saturday had been done without any extra time between sets. His euphoria at that realization was tempered with the sinking feeling that Bill was eventually going to start decreasing the length of the rest periods. He also found that even though Bill had told him he could no longer go nap after he'd finished breakfast, he was able to stay up a bit later than the first week. He set a goal of 10:00 and made sure he was neither early nor late for it.

His body was growing strong. And his soul was slowly starting to heal. Bill would occasional ask how he was doing while they were running and it had nothing to do with his physical state. If Harry wanted to talk he did. If he didn't, he didn't. Really, he hadn't said but a few sentences yet but the simple fact that someone was there, was willing, but able to see it needed to be on his terms, had made the burden easier for Harry to bear.

On the bad side of things, after perfect training weather to start Harry's indoctrination, the one day of dismal cold and rain had been followed by a week with temperatures only in the mid teens. Most days it didn't rain, but it was still damp and he was soaked through by the end of each session. Drinking at the well now required six buckets as there were three of them and Harry raised them all. He thought it rather cruel he had to work just to drink, and wondered why they couldn't just summon the water from the well. He knew full well how the suggestion would go over so he didn't bother.

But the plus that had kept him going through the second week was the hope that Fleur might give him another massage on Saturday evening. He hadn't dared to ask, simply excused himself a few minutes before 10:00 and gone to the loo to brush his teeth and use the toilet. When he entered his room, he found Fleur waiting and everything in place for another massage.

Harry sagged in anticipation and couldn't do a thing about the goofy grin on his face. "There is a God," he said. Fleur simply smiled and turned around. Harry quickly changed and climbed on the table. He was asleep within minutes of her starting.

"Repos bien mon heros," she whispered while continuing to work on his knotted muscles.

* * *

Harry bolted awake, bathed in a thin sheen of sweat. His scar throbbed painfully and he pressed his palm against it, trying to massage the pain and intrusion away. He sighed and muttered, "I knew it was too good to be true." Dark thoughts spilled about him and he could feel the abyss opening to claim him. It seemed so unfair that all the work he had done in the last two weeks; making himself get up with Bill and train, examining the different events of his life that he always blamed himself for, looking to see some other light shining on them, could be torn away in a single night of one dream invaded for only seconds. It was so upsetting, made things seem so hopeless, that Harry wondered for a few minutes if he might actually start crying. Harry shook his mood off and tried to recall what he could of the dream. There wasn't much, but as he examined it, the nagging feeling that he was missing something suddenly erupted into full blown terror. He threw off his covers, dressed and nearly ran to the room Bill and Charlie shared.

He hesitated before knocking. He was awake now, and Voldemort had never managed to touch him when he was awake. The one time he had tried, at the Ministry this spring, Harry had managed to throw him out. Harry glanced at his watch and decided he could wait another hour to tell Bill. He'd just go downstairs, and make sure he didn't fall asleep.

When Harry entered the living room, he cast about for something to keep him occupied. Better yet, he wanted something that would put him in a good mood. Even better than a good mood, would be finding a way of focusing on the people he loved and cared for. The answer was surprisingly simple and he spent the next hour examining the different pictures of the Weasleys that were arrayed about the house. He was so engrossed he didn't hear Bill or Fleur get up and use the loo and was only aware of them when Bill cleared his throat.

"Ready?" he asked.

Harry carefully set the framed picture of Ron and Ginny back in its place. "I think you may want to change your plans this morning, Bill."

Bill quirked an eye. "Oh?"

"Voldemort came to see me last night. I can't be the Secret Keeper. Not until I learn occlumency."

Bill scowled. "Et is not safe if 'e can just take it from Harry's mind," Fleur said.

Bill shook his head. "I can't believe I missed that," he muttered angrily.

"So do you have to take it down and recast it?" Harry asked.

Bill shook his head again. "No. I can just transfer it to someone else. He took out his wand and waved Harry over. "All right, Potter," he said. "Let's have it."

"Do I have to do anything?" Harry asked. He stepped in front of Bill and waited.

"Just think about it." Harry did so and Bill touched his wand to Harry's temple. Harry felt a slight tingle flare deep down in his center where Fleur was teaching him his strength lay. It floated up through his body into his mind and then to where Bill's wand touched his temple. When Bill pulled his wand away, there was a pinprick of softly glowing white light at the tip. He turned to Fleur. "Do you mind?"

Her mouth dropped. "Moi?"

"Yes, you."

Fleur stared at him, her eyes beginning to tear up, "You entrust zem to me? All of zem, even Ginevra?"

"Yes," he answered solemnly.

Fleur launched herself at him; kissing him hard. She broke from him, flushed and alive. "For you, my love. Not even zee God of zee Underworld will pry 'er location from my dead lips."

Bill touched the tip of his wand to her temple and then kissed her crown. "Thank you." He glanced at Harry who had turned away and was examining the pictures again. "Potter."

Harry turned. "Yes, Sir?"

"The fewer people who know who the Secret Keeper is, the better. In this case I think it's critical that you don't know."

Harry nodded. "I understand."

Bill hesitated for a second. " _Obliviate!"_ he snapped, flicking his wand at Harry. "I'm sorry, Harry," he muttered.

Harry blinked. "Sorry?" he asked with a confused look at Bill and Fleur.

"Notzing," Fleur said. "Let's go." She led the way into the kitchen with Bill and Harry trailing after her.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Ginny was bouncing excitedly on the balls of her feet waiting for Bill and Fleur. At breakfast, when Fleur had announced she was sick of looking at Harry in the rags his aunt and uncle had given him to wear and that she and Bill were taking him shopping for clothes that actually fit, she'd suffered a nearly fatal attack of jealousy. It wasn't that she could afford to get anything, but it would have been fun to go along. But then Fleur had stunned her by asking Ginny if she would like to join them. And topping it off, Bill had promised to buy her an outfit too. She knew her mother was going to protest but Bill had cleared his throat and she'd simply turned back to the stove and told them to have a good time and that she needed to do her chores first.

"What?" Ginny asked when she caught Harry watching her with an amused expression.

Harry quickly wiped the smile off his face. "Nothing," he said. Over the last year, and especially the time he'd spent at the Burrow this summer, he'd gotten to know Ron's little sister a bit. Enough so that she now registered as a person in her own right in his mind. And though his initial thoughts on Ginny accompanying him and the others to the ministry this past spring weren't positive, he'd been glad to have her help once things went bad. And, truth be told, she'd managed herself well. He was especially impressed that she had tried to stand on a broken ankle and keep fighting. Ginny had nerve. She'd helped him break into Umbridge's office two different times during the school year, and the summer had taught him Ginny could take the twins to task in the pranking department. She also had a bit of a vengeful streak. He was rather glad to have stayed off her list of targets so far and didn't want to do anything that might put him on it.

Ginny put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "You were laughing at me."

"I wasn't," Harry protested.

"Were."

"I was just amused that you were so excited to go out. It's just a bit of shopping."

"Harrrrry!" Ginny exclaimed. "I _never_ get to go shopping. Didn't you see she wasn't going to let me till Bill intervened for me? And I _never, ever_ get a new outfit. Do you know what it's like growing up wearing your older brother's hand me downs?"

"Actually," Harry said darkly, "I do. It would be why we're going out now."

A stricken look flashed on Ginny's face. "Oh, Harry," she gasped. She covered her mouth with her hand. "I forget you've had it so much worse than I ever did. I'm sorry… I'll understand if you don't want me to come along now."

"Hey," Harry said. He grabbed her arm when it appeared she was going to walk away. "I wasn't upset with you. Please come."

Ginny knew her face must be red as a tomato but she managed to force herself to look at him. "You're really not upset with me?"

Harry studied her for a second. He wasn't sure why she would think she would upset him so easily. But then he reasoned, as the two of them really had no relationship to go on, she really only had his behavior over the last year towards Ron and Hermione as a guidepost. And that, Harry was willing to admit, wasn't exactly flattering.

"I think," he said carefully, making sure to keep his eyes on hers, "if you can forgive me for forgetting about your first year, I can forgive you for forgetting my relatives are flobberworms… I'm really ashamed of myself for that," he added after a second. "If it's all right with you, I might like to try and make it up to you."

Ginny stared at him. She'd spent countless days praying for him to say something, anything, about the Chamber. Not out of any of her fanciful desires of romance, but just an acknowledgement of some sort, an inquiry as to how she was doing from the person she had nearly killed. Dumbledore had said, because he had saved her life, there would be a bond between them. And he'd been right on her part. But near as she could tell, it was _only_ on her part. Harry had pulled her from the Chamber and she'd immediately faded from his consciousness to part of the background again. It had been a devastating blow to her already crushed spirit, and it had taken the better part of a year for Bill to coax life back into the empty shell Tom Riddle had left.

"Why now," she whispered.

Harry shrugged and cast about for an answer. "Because I care," he eventually said.

She blinked rapidly. "I needed you then."

Harry screwed his face up painfully. "I'm sorry. It wasn't that I didn't care, I just didn't know how." He ran his hand through his hair. "Heck, I don't know how now but I'm trying."

Ginny stared at him for a moment longer before a mischievous smile came on her face. "I think maybe I probably should come with you."

Harry creased his brow, trying to figure out exactly what he'd asked Ginny for and what she'd agreed to. He gave a mental shrug when his brain locked on trying to understand girls and decided to let it go and just play along. "Oh, and why would that be?"

"So you have someone to talk to when my brother and his girlfriend start making googly faces at each other."

Harry pretended to gag. "Save me, Warrior Maiden."

Ginny giggled.

"What's so funny, Sprite?" Bill asked. Fleur followed him into the living room.

"Sprite?" Harry asked. He shot Ginny a look. She drove an elbow into his side. "Ooofh," he gasped and bent over double.

"You are not allowed to call me that, Harry."

Harry straightened and smirked at her. "Right, no calling the runt, Sprite."

"Runt!" Ginny cried shrilly. She aimed a fist at his shoulder. Harry didn't think; he just reacted to the training Bill had been giving him. He stepped to the side, caught Ginny's hand, and twisted, forcing her to go along or end up with a broken arm. He finished with her arm pinned behind her back, and his other arm around her neck.

"Gotta be quicker than that, Gin," he whispered in her ear before letting go and stepping back. Ginny whirled on him

"Well done," Fleur said.

"What the hell was that?" Ginny shouted. She rubbed her wrist gingerly.

"Thank you, Ms. Delacour."

"Potter," Bill growled. "You are going to pay for that tomorrow."

"Yes, Sir," Harry answered.

Ginny rounded on Bill. "That's what you're teaching him, how to break peoples' arms?"

Harry found his respect for Bill growing another notch when he refused to back down from her. It seemed he was the only brother capable of putting her in her place, and he wondered exactly what it was between them that created this mutually doting relationship.

"I'm teaching him how to survive, Ginevra. You might remember that the next time you go to slug him."

Ginny glared at him and then turned on Harry. "Don't ever call me runt again."

Harry smirked. "Sure thing, Gin."

"And don't call me that either."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so."

"I like et," Fleur said. "Et es," she paused to consider, "chic."

"I was thinking exotic," Harry countered.

Fleur gave Ginny an appraising glance, winked at Harry, and said, "Et es sexy." Ginny's mouth dropped open as she gapped between the two of them.

Harry knew his face was flaming, but he found he rather liked teasing Ginny and he gamely kept going. "And she's got the whole Warrior Maiden thing going for her too."

Fleur appraised Ginny again. "You zink?"

Harry nodded vigorously. She's got the red hair," he said. "Read almost any kind of epic fantasy novel and the Warrior Maiden has red hair."

Fleur tapped her finger on her lip. "Yes," she agreed slowly. "And if you use 'er full name, you get all of et; a beautiful, sexy and erotic Warrior Maiden. Just listen to et, Ginevra," she demonstrated. "So much more compelling zan Fleur. Wouldn't you agree, Harry?"

Harry hesitated. "Well, I wouldn't necessarily go that far. Fleur is kind of interesting too."

Fleur turned to him, the full extent of her veela powers setting her aglow. "Why zank you, Harry." She hooked her arm with his and pulled him into the fire. Just before she called out their destination she turned to smile at Bill, and said, "Flattery such as zat and I may trade William for you." They disappeared in a swirling of green flames.

Bill smirked. "That kid has a very keenly honed sense of self preservation," he said. He took Ginny's hand and pulled her into the fire. "I don't know, Sprite. Between the two of them, I think we may have met our match."

Ginny turned her face up to his. "Does it really sound like that?"

He grinned. "Like what?"

Ginny stomped her foot. "Like," she glanced around before whispering, "sexy?"

Bill shuddered. "Don't ask me. As far as I'm concerned, you're still two and need your nappies changed. He quickly called out their destination and they disappeared in a whirl of flames before she could protest further."

* * *

Author's notes:

And we can already see what happens when you give Harry a bit of time with Ginny without Ron or Hermione around.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's notes:

Personal milestone, I now have over 1000 followers on FF! Go me!

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter IV**

 **Monumental** **Embarasment**

* * *

The morning after the shopping trip Ginny woke even earlier than her new routine. She blindly fumbled her way through her morning bathroom ritual and made her way down the stairs. All without tripping, though it was a close thing as she almost missed a step on the way to the kitchen.

"Oh," Molly exclaimed when Ginny came in. She glanced at the clock. "Well we are up early today."

"Morning Mother," Ginny said. She slipped across the kitchen to the door. "Back in a few minutes."

Molly stared blankly after her daughter. "Where are you going?" she asked, but the door had already closed. She turned to the window and watched Ginny walk away from the house to the top of a berm where she stopped and watched something in the distance. "What in the world?" Molly asked herself. She thought about calling Ginny back to ask what had brought about the sudden change in attitude, but then decided Bill must have finally managed to get through to her on their shopping trip yesterday. She most certainly didn't want to upset any fragile peace her daughter might be trying to offer by being civil for the first time in more than three weeks. She settled for just keeping an eye on her out the window while she went about preparing breakfast instead. It was becoming no small task to keep the two people she suspected Ginny was watching fed. Harry especially was devouring food at a rate beyond what even Ron could manage. It was nearly an hour later that Ginny turned and hurried back to the house. And she was just stepping in the door when Harry and Bill came over the top of the same berm she had been standing on.

 _I wonder what that was all about?_ Molly thought. "Eggs again, dear?" she asked when Ginny sat down.

"Yes, Please. Just one though." Ginny laid her head down on the table and closed her eyes.

"You're sure?"

"I want an extra sausage this morning," Ginny answered.

"Lovely," Molly said. She cracked an egg in the pan, and added an extra two sausages to the other, she was certain Bill or Harry would eat it, and continued to watch her daughter. "May I ask what you were watching?" she asked carefully.

"I just wanted to see what they were doing." The sound of feet clomping on the porch had Ginny quickly sitting up.

"Morning, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said as he came in. "Hey, Gin," he added on his way through the kitchen.

Molly watched him go and turned to Ginny. "Gin?" she mouthed. Ginny was already red in the face, and she flushed even further with her mother's scrutiny.

"I have no idea," she said. "He's hugging and kissing you and he started calling me that yesterday."

Molly smiled and thought she might try for just a bit of teasing. "Well, you know that's a good thing, don't you? Boys don't go around giving pet names to girls unless they like them."

"Mother!" Ginny exclaimed. "Please. I'm really not interested in him that way anymore… I'm not," she protested when her mother arched an eye at her. "Really, I'm taking a break from boys right now."

Molly couldn't help the next question out of her mouth. It was her nature to gently tease. The twins had to get it from somewhere after all. And it had just been too rare an occurrence for Ginny's attitude towards her to allow this kind of teasing between them to occur. Truthfully, she couldn't remember the last time. And she longed to hear 'mum' instead of the clipped formal tone of 'mother' from her daughter's lips again. "So who's the lucky girl then?"

"MOTHER!"

Molly giggled. "Oh, I'm just teasing you, Ginny."

Ginny buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe you just said that."

"Well why not?" Molly asked, her voice perfectly serious.

Ginny glanced up. "You're serious?"

Molly seized on the opportunity to try and tell Ginny she would always be there, no matter what. "Well certainly I am. I want to know whom my daughter's interested in. And I most certainly don't want her fretting about what her mother and father would think of her if she did happen to be gay. There's nothing wrong with it and I would want her to know she could always depend on the love of her mother and father."

Ginny stared at her for a few seconds; trying to decide if she was going to accept this olive branch. She eventually stood and moved to give her mum a hug, something she hadn't initiated since this past Christmas. "I love you too, Mum."

Molly hugged her fiercely and sniffed. "I love you too, Ginevra. I know you think I'm hard on you, but please don't you ever forget that."

Ginny squeezed her tighter. "I'm trying."

"Me to, Ginny," Molly said. She gave her another squeeze before she pushed Ginny back with her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Are you?"

Ginny frowned. "Am I what?"

"Gay?"

Ginny flushed. "No." She suddenly smiled. "We're you hoping?"

"Ginevra," Molly gasped.

Ginny giggled. "Well it's just that Hermione is kind of pretty and Ron just can't seem to get his act together."

Molly turned Ginny around, gave her a shove back to the table and a flick to her bottom with her kitchen towel. Ginny let out a little squeal. "You're incorrigible young lady."

"I mean we could always adopt," she mused.

The door to the kitchen opened and Harry sat down at his seat. "Why are you adopting? And aren't you a bit young?" Ginny shot a glance at her mother.

"Don't you dare," Molly said aghast.

Ginny smirked and turned back to Harry. "Because Hermione and I won't be able to have kids."

"Oh, honestly," Molly huffed. Ginny was going to do it; she might as well enjoy the show. It promised to be entertaining anyway, it always was when Ginny put her acting skills on and turned them on one of her brothers. Poor Harry was in for quite a learning experience into how her daughter's mind worked.

Harry glanced between the two women but Molly had turned back to the stove and was platting up two breakfasts. "Erm," he said. "Why not?"

Ginny picked up her fork and dug into the plate her mother set in front of her. "Thanks, Mum."

"You're welcome, dear." Molly set a plate in front of Harry.

Food distracted Harry for a second, and after thanking Mrs. Weasley, he quickly dug in. He took a couple more bites, but then, just as Bill stepped in, he asked, "So are you going to answer or not?" He took a large bite of hash browns. Molly turned around to watch.

"Answer what?" Bill asked.

"Why she and Hermione can't have children," Molly said. _Who says I can't pull a prank?_ she added silently.

Bill paused, shook his head and said, "Come again."

Harry took another bite while he waited for Ginny to answer. She swallowed, took a sip of juice, wiped her mouth, and said. "Well it's rather difficult for two women to have a baby," she said. Harry stopped chewing and frowned. "Unless," she mused, "Hermione did say something about asking one of my brothers to donate sperm." Harry spewed hashbrowns across the table and started coughing. "That works for her I suppose," Ginny continued, "but I might like to experience having a baby too. Maybe you could donate for me, Harry."

"Me?" he croaked.

"Well sure," Ginny said. "I mean it's not like we're related or anything, and if Hermione and I were really lucky, any baby I had with your sperm would get your eyes."

Harry gapped at her. "My eyes?" he choked.

Ginny shrugged. "We'll figure it out I guess. It's not like either one of us wants kids now." Molly hid her smile behind her towel. She knew Ginny could act, but this one took the proverbial cake. Her daughter was completely straight faced with not a hint of embarrassment. A glance at Bill told her he too had been taken in hook line and sinker. He was quite simply stunned silent. And poor Harry, he looked as if he couldn't decide if he wanted to run or just die of embarrassment. "And really, we haven't done anything but kiss yet. I'm not really sure I want to spend the rest of my life with her. But if I do, would you think about, Harry?"

Harry's face went from red to purple. "Erm," he managed. Molly had to give him credit. It was at least semi coherent.

Ginny turned to Bill. "And you too, Bill," she said. "If Hermione's going to have a child, I really want you to be the father. I'm sure the baby would be gorgeous. Oh, but I suppose we might need to ask Fleur if it's ok with her."

"Erm," Bill said. He glanced at his mother. "Mum?"

"Well William," she said. "I should certainly hope you would help your sister and her partner, or wife I suppose, have a baby if they asked you." Bill turned white.

"You would, wouldn't you, Bill?" Ginny asked.

"I," he said and faltered.

"I mean you wouldn't actually sleep with her." Bill's mouth dropped open. "She is mine after all. And I don't like the idea of sharing. Even for this. You'd just, you know, in a cup or something, and then I'd help Hermione inject it. I think they use a turkey baster or something. That would probably work."

Molly goggled at Ginny. "Ok, young lady. Exactly how do you know all this?"

Ginny giggled. "Didn't you read the last romance novel you bought?"

Harry finally managed to put together a coherent thought. "You and Hermione are…"

"A couple?" Ginny supplied. Harry nodded. Ginny grinned. "Nope."

"You're not?" Harry asked. "But…"

"Gotcha, Potter," she said. She took a sip of juice and smiled innocently at him.

Harry stared at her before cautiously looking at Bill. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Bill asked.

"Pond?" Harry asked.

"Yep."

"Eep!" Ginny squeaked. She tried to bolt from the table but Harry and Bill were too quick and had her blocked on either side.

"Now you two stop it," Molly said.

"Sorry, Mum," Bill said. "She can't ask me for a cup of sperm to impregnate her girlfriend with and not get tossed in the pond."

Ginny ducked under the table and made a break for the door but Harry and Bill were too quick. They grabbed hold of a leg and arm each and trundled her out the door, down the porch and turned to the pond.

"NO!" Ginny shrieked. "Don't you dare! Mum! Make them stop. I've already showered! And these are my new clothes. You'll ruin them! Mum!"

"I'm sorry, Dear," she called from the porch, but you really do deserve it."

"Oh! I deserve it because they're too stupid to know they're being pranked? How is that fair!"

Harry and Bill stopped at the end of the dock. "Gin," Harry said.

Ginny stopped her struggles long enough to figure out where she was. "Potter," she growled, "if you throw me in I swear you will regret it till you're dying day."

Harry smirked and winked at her. "Sounds like fun," he said. Ginny's mouth dropped open. He was bloody flirting with her! "Ready, Sir?" he asked.

Bill started swinging Ginny back and forth and Harry picked up the motion. "One," he said.

"NO! Bill, Please!"

"Two," Harry said.

"WAIIIIT!" Ginny screamed.

"THREE!" Harry and Bill said together. They let her go and Ginny arched high into the air, shrieking until she plunged with a tremendous splash into the pond. She emerged spluttering and pushing the hair out of her face.

"Maybe that'll cool your hormones off a bit," Bill laughed.

"I am so going to kill the two of you."

Bill glanced at Harry. "Now, you see, this is a perfect example of how the training you've been doing can save your life."

"How's that, Sir?" he asked.

"We can run and she'll never catch us."

"Oh, I'll catch you," Ginny fumed. "You have to come home sooner or later. Sleep lightly," she warned.

Harry looked between her and Bill. "I can think of another way it might save my life," he said.

"How's that?" Bill asked, his attention focused on Ginny.

"By helping her get even," Harry said. He made a grab at Bill's wrist, twisted and gave a shove. Bill was taken by surprise. He couldn't block the attack but he managed to break the hold and catch Harry's wrist in an iron grip that pulled him along for the plunge into the pond. The two of them came up laughing a second later.

Bill advanced on him. "You have no idea how much trouble you're in, Potter."

Harry grinned and did his best to fend him off. "I think I've got a pretty good idea, Sir." He managed to avoid Bill's first strike but was caught in the counter and shoved under water. Bill held him there for a good ten seconds before Harry managed to break free.

He came up and backed slowly away as Bill advanced again. "Little help, Gin?" Harry asked. Bill glanced at Ginny and Harry attacked. He managed to twist Bill's arm behind his back and hold him for a second. "Get him!" he shouted. Ginny hesitated for a second but dove under the water and grabbed at Bill's legs, trying to upend him. Bill fended her off with his free hand and managed to break free of Harry.

"You've got a long way to go before you can take me, Potter," he taunted.

"Get his hands," Harry said to Ginny. Try and hold them."

"Yeah right," Ginny said. She and Harry circled Bill. Bill made a grab at Ginny and she latched onto him, wrapping her arms and legs around his upper body. Harry dove under the water, grabbed his legs and upended him.

Bill broke out of Ginny's grasp and latched onto her while still under water. When he came to the surface again he had her back pinned to his chest. He wrapped one arm across her front, pinning one of her arms in place against his side and held her other arm with his vice-like grip on her wrist. She was trapped with the top of her head just under his chin and he started backing away with her to the deeper water.

"HARRY!" Ginny squealed. "Help me!"

Bill pulled her to where she couldn't touch the bottom. "That's it, Potter," he taunted. "Come rescue your little girlfriend."

"I'm not! Blubb…" Bill dipped down about six inches, dunking Ginny into the pond.

"What was that, Sprite?" he teased.

"HARRR Blubb…" Bill dunked her again.

"I don't think lover boy is going to be able to do much to help you, Sprite." Harry's face was beat red from Bill's taunting but he advanced on him anyway in an effort to free Ginny. While still holding Ginny, Bill fended him off with one hand for nearly a minute before Harry managed to lock onto him. They struggled for a second and Ginny managed to break the hold Bill had on her. She put her hands on his head and pushed him under. She did her best to hold him there till Harry lost the battle to control Bill's hands and quickly scrambled to get behind Harry as Bill broke free.

Bill came up and lunged at her. Ginny shrieked and twisted around behind Harry again as he blocked Bill's advance. She wasn't sure how, but somehow, like had happened so many times growing up, she had become the prize in the water war. Only this time, instead of Bill or even Charlie fending off the rest of her brothers, it was Harry fending Bill off as he did his best to drown her. She floated just behind Harry, her stomach against his back with her hands on his shoulders, helping him to keep Bill away from her.

"Get to the shore and run," Harry said.

Ginny made a break for it, but Bill was past Harry in seconds, dragging her back again. She let out a shriek of laughter as he tossed her over his shoulder. Harry tackled him around the waist and they all fell into the water a tangle of flailing limbs. Harry somehow managed to come up between them and she started for the shore again. She was nearly there before Bill grabbed her and pulled her back.

"Going somewhere, little girl?" he teased. He was turning back when Harry kicked the back of his knee. Bill went down and Harry grabbed Ginny away from him. "Come on!" he cried. He pulled on her hand, dragging her towards the shore.

"Potter! You're going to pay for that!"

"Hurry!" Harry yelled. He managed to get Ginny in front of him and shoved her along just as Bill dove and clamped his hand around Harry's ankle. Harry fell flat on his face and Bill dragged him back into the pond. He fended off Harry's defense, got a hold of him and threw him out into the deeper water.

"Come on, Harry!" Ginny shouted. Bill turned to come after her. "You Can't Touch Me," she cried.

"Say's who."

"Those are the rules," Ginny said. "Once I get to the shore I'm safe."

"Says, Me," Harry growled. He jumped on Bill's back, locked his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist. Bill struggled for a second but then simply flopped to his back, taking both himself and Harry under water. The battle continued there, becoming a test of who needed to breathe first. Bill managed to break Harry's grip on his neck only to have Harry slip free and clamp down again.

Ginny stood on the shore, watching the thrashing in the waist deep water. It had been nearly 30 seconds already. "Bill! Harry!" she shouted as they continued to struggle.

Underwater, Harry was beginning to tire. He'd already suffered a three-hour training session today and they'd been wrestling in the water for some time, much of it with him being held under for a few seconds before Bill would let him up again. And Bill was like a machine. He didn't seem to ever get tired and his body was like iron. Harry had a long way to go before he could go toe to toe in hand-to-hand combat against him. He knew he needed oxygen soon or he was going to pass out but he stubbornly held on.

Ginny fretted on the shore. They'd both been under for a long time; longer than any of the battles she remembered between her brothers. "That's Enough," she shouted. "Stop It!"

Harry's vision began to go spotty but he continued to hold on and then things went black. The next thing he knew he was on his hands and knees on the shore, coughing water out of his lungs.

"You Idiot!" Ginny shrieked. "You could have killed him." She knelt down beside Harry and pulled him protectively against her. Harry rolled to his back with his head in her lap, spots still dancing in his vision.

"He's fine," Bill said.

"He's not fine. He's half drowned!"

"I'm half drowned," Bill countered. "He's three quarters drowned."

"That is not funny, William Weasley!"

"I couldn't let him win."

Harry coughed again. "Easy, Harry," Ginny soothed him.

Bill squatted down next to him and gave Harry's shoulder a light slug. "Gonna live, Potter?"

"Yes, Sir," he managed to croak.

"That was good, Potter. You never gave up."

"Thank you, Sir."

"He nearly killed himself!" Ginny exclaimed.

Bill leveled Ginny with a hard look. "Sometimes, that's what it takes."

"It was a stupid wrestling match! He nearly killed himself to win a stupid water war! Is this what you're teaching him; to keep going till he either passes out or dies the next time Tom comes after him?"

"Yes."

Horrified, Ginny stared at him and then her eyes hardened. "I won't let you." She laid Harry down and stood up, stepping between him and Bill. "You stay away from him."

"S'ok, Gin," Harry said. He managed to push himself to a sitting position, and then his knees.

Ginny turned on him. "It is not ok!"

Harry rocked back on his heels and shook his head, clearing the last of the cobwebs. He looked up at her. "I don't have a choice," he said. "Trust me, I'm not going to rush off and get myself killed.

"What do you mean you don't have a choice? You always have a choice."

Harry scrunched his face up, shooting a glance at Bill. He shrugged, clearly indicating it was up to him what he told her. Ginny didn't miss the exchange. "What aren't you telling me? Bill?" she demanded turning on him.

Bill shook his head. "Not my place."

"What do you mean it's not your place?" She turned on Harry again. "What is going, on? Don't you dare," she said, grabbing him when he turned his head away. She squatted down in front of him. "Harry?" she said imploringly.

Something about her voice, and the look on her face made it impossible for him not to answer. Harry reached out and plucked a bit of lily pad from her hair. "It's me or him, Gin."

"Sorry?" she asked.

"Voldemort," Harry said. He was impressed to see the name had no effect on her. But then he reasoned that may have something to do with the diary. He stood and offered her his hand. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. "Either I kill him, or he kills me. Simple as that."

"What?" She shook her head. "No, wait, slow down just a minute. What exactly are you two telling me?"

Bill put his hand on her shoulder. "It's down to Harry, Sprite; not me, not Charlie or Mad-Eye, or even Dumbledore. Either Harry punches Riddle's ticket or no one does. And you should know better than anyone what that might take." Ginny stared at him in horror. "That's what he's training for," Bill said quietly.

Ginny turned to Harry. Somehow it had escaped both their notice that they were still holding hands. He gave hers a gentle squeeze. "Sorry," he said. "I imagine you might have liked taking a shot at him. You certainly owe him."

Ginny dropped his hand and launched herself at him. Harry staggered back a step as she latched onto him. Because he didn't know what else to do and it didn't appear Ginny was going to let him go any time soon, he cautiously returned her hug. "You'll win, Harry. I know you will," she whispered fiercely. "And don't you dare think about sacrificing yourself to do it; because I kind of like you and I'd be really pissed if you got yourself killed." She let him go and turned on Bill. "I'm joining him." She poked him in the chest. "And don't you dare tell me I can't."

Bill gave her a confused look. "Joining him?"

"I'm training with him. He shouldn't have to do it alone. And don't tell me I can't."

"Gin," Harry said.

"Shut up, Harry," she said without taking her eyes off of Bill. Harry fell silent. It really was her choice, and he was rather grateful to her for saying she would suffer with him; even if she didn't know just how much she was going to suffer.

Bill studied her. "Ok," he shrugged.

"Ok?" Ginny asked, surprised that he'd given in so easy.

"But you're doing all of it; every single thing. I won't cut you any slack because you're my sister or a girl. And you follow all the same rules as Harry."

"What rules?"

"Potter can explain them."

Ginny glanced at Harry. "You're gonna regret this, Gin," he said.

"Shut up, Potter," Bill said.

"Yes, Sir."

"Fine," Ginny agreed. "I'm doing it. When do we start?"

"You're going to do two things for me first," Bill said.

"What?" Ginny demanded.

"No petition," he said. Ginny seemed to recoil.

"Petition?" Harry asked.

"None of your business, Potter. Well, what's it gonna be, Ginevra?"

"You wouldn't," Ginny said.

"I'll always be there, Sprite. But I'll fight you tooth and nail all the way to the ministry. They've lost one and I won't just roll over and let them lose another. I can't stand to see that pain in her eyes again."

Ginny scowled and her eyes shifted between Harry and Bill a number of times before settling on Harry. Harry sensed she was measuring something deeply important with this decision and forced himself not to look away as she studied him. After a few moments something seemed to shift in her eyes. "All right, Bill," she said slowly, "no petition." Bill seemed to sag as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders. "But I swear, Bill, if she messes up one more time I'm going through with it; with or without you. I'll go to the twins if I have to."

Harry wasn't sure exactly what the decision Ginny had been weighing was, but it was plainly evident from the way her eyes never left his as she made and announced her decision that he'd been deemed the more important than whatever this petition was. He found himself immensely relieved and pleased that she had chosen him and he made a silent vow then and there that he'd never give her a reason to regret the choice she'd just made.

Bill sighed. "I know."

"What else do you want from me?" she asked, still not taking her eyes off of Harry's

"Train Harry in occlumency."

Ginny blinked. "Me?" she asked finally turning back to Bill. Harry slowly let out the breath he'd been holding.

"You'll be better than me."

"I don't know how."

"Figure it out." Ginny opened her mouth to protest more. "That's the price, pay it or forget it."

Ginny looked back to Harry, once more their gaze locking. Harry found himself holding his breath again. He'd been measured by Bill and Fleur a number of times in the past weeks. And he'd been gratified to find he'd measured up, but this sudden examination by Ginny turned something in his gut that left him in little doubt that for her to find him lacking would be a thousand times more devastating than if Bill or Fleur did.

"When do we start?" she asked. Harry did his best not to sag in relief as he found himself worthy for the second time in less than two minutes in her eyes.

"Tomorrow morning," Bill answered. "You need to get in shape."

"I am in shape," Ginny retorted. "From quidditch, she added. Harry couldn't help the snort that escaped his control. "What?" she demanded.

"Nothing."

"I think you can manage the first two hours without me, Potter," Bill said.

"Sir?"

"You know the drill. And if you go easy on her you will regret it."

"You aren't going to be there?"

Bill grinned. "Nope, gonna sleep in."

"I hope you suffocate under your pillow, Sir."

Bill gave Ginny a last look. "Have fun," he said and walked away. "And don't forget to teach him occlumency."

Ginny turned to Harry. "Don't ask," she said.

"Ok," he agreed, not needing to be told she was referring to whatever the petition was. "So it looks like we're going to be spending some time together."

Gee thanks, Harry. If that's the way you feel about it, then you can just forget everything." She whirled around to walk away. Harry caught her wrist. She yanked hard but while he couldn't hold Bill, he had no trouble holding her. "Let go, Harry."

"I didn't say it would be a bad thing," he said. He dropped her wrist. "It might even be kind of nice. Though I doubt you'll agree tomorrow morning." He and Ginny watched each other for a few seconds.

"Why don't you think I'm going to like it?"

"You'll see," Harry said. "Shall we?"

"Harry," Ginny whined.

"Trust me. You'll find out soon enough. Do you mind if we go in? I kind of forgot to eat, and I'm famished."

"Ok," she agreed, though it was clear she wasn't really happy that he wouldn't just tell her. She fell in next to him as he hurried to the house.

"When do you want to start the occlumency lessons?" he asked.

"Harry, I don't know how I'm going to do that. It's really difficult."

Harry stopped at the door. "Bill said you were pretty skilled."

"He did?" she asked pleased to hear the secondhand compliment.

"Yep, and if he says you can teach me, than I believe him."

"You do?"

"Well you can't be any worse than Snape." Harry disappeared through the door and she followed him.

* * *

"Oh, good," Ginny said. "There you are. I was afraid you'd disappear before I could finish."

Harry closed the latest book Bill had given him. This one was actually from Fleur and was about yoga. He didn't find it as interesting as the books Bill had given him but he was hoping Saturday night would bring another massage and he was fairly certain it wouldn't happen if he brushed off Fleur's reading assignment.

"I was waiting for you."

"You were?"

Harry nodded. "I've looked for you in the afternoon but you always disappear and I can't find you. Your mum said you were down by the stream, but I never saw you." He shrugged. "So I figured I plant myself here and wait for you to come down."

"How come you were looking for me?"

Harry hesitated; he didn't want her to take this the wrong way like his comment about spending time together that morning. "Look, don't get all upset with me, because you aren't a last resort, but you and I are the only kids here most of the time. I mean Ron's working at the shop till 6:00 every day. So I can't hang out with him. And Bill and Fleur are off doing stuff for the Order in the afternoon. So I can't hang out with them. And you're mum is great and all but I think she was starting to worry with me sitting in the kitchen all afternoon. And it's really bad for me to just mope about without people around too much right now. And we're friends, or at least starting to become friends, so I thought I'd hang out with you if you didn't mind. But then you were nowhere to be found. And trust me, I looked. I've been over every inch of the area inside the Fidelius."

Ginny gapped at him. "I'm sorry," she eventually said. "I didn't even think to ask if you might like to join me."

Harry shrugged. "It's not like I've given you much reason to think I would in the past."

"Ok, that does it," she said. "Who are you and what have you done with the clueless, oblivious, insensitive berk I know as Harry?"

Harry ran his hand through his hair. "That bad?" he asked sheepishly.

"Let's just say you can give Ron a run for his money on a given day."

"Hermione says he has the emotional range of a teaspoon."

Ginny smiled. "Well you'll be glad to know you are up to a tablespoon."

Harry grinned back. "So does that mean I can hang out with you?"

Ginny rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "The things I suffer for you, Potter."

"I'm going to make you pay for that," he paused and added. "Cheeky bint."

Ginny's mouth dropped open. She eventually put her hands on her hips. "Harry, Potter, are you flirting with me?"

Harry furrowed his brow and pretended to think. Eventually, he shook his head. "Can't be," he said.

"And why not? I'm not cute enough?" Ginny could hardly believe she was standing in her living room bantering back and forth with Harry like this. Two years ago she could hardly string a sentence together in front of him and now here she was flirting openly. The most surreal aspect of it lay in that she really had no interest in him romantically. It wasn't that she no longer thought he was cute. Or that he occasionally didn't do something that made her heart melt. It was just that she had outgrown her crush and after breaking up with Michael she had decided she was well and truly done with boys for the time being. Friends were great, but she didn't want anything to do with their roving hands for a while. And what she heard from her roommates had her convinced they all had roaming hands.

"Nah," Harry said. "You're plenty cute. I just don't know how to flirt so I can't actually be doing it."

"Well," Ginny huffed. "If only the rest of the boys at Hogwarts didn't know how to flirt."

Harry smirked. "You might want to be careful though. I don't think Hermione would like it if she knew you were flirting with me."

Ginny hesitated for a second but then brazenly sauntered across the room to him. If he wanted to play, she decided, she was more than capable of returning fire. She stopped in front of him and reached to play with the sleeve of his shirt. "What she doesn't know won't hurt her, will it?" she asked in a husky voice. She leaned in close by his ear. "I can make it worth your while," she whispered. She pulled back and looked in his eyes. "If you don't tell her."

Harry swallowed. She didn't just have nerve, she bloody well had balls. "You might want to be careful," he managed.

Ginny pursed her lips. "Oh?"

"I might decide to take you up on that offer."

Ginny smiled and as she turned to walk away, she said, "I look forward to it." Harry stood rooted to the floor, staring after her. "Coming?" she called. Harry shook himself and hurried to follow. He had work to do if he was going to keep up with her. Ginny was waiting for him in the kitchen, grinning madly.

Harry stopped. "You, are dangerous," he said.

Ginny giggled. "Would that be good dangerous, or bad dangerous?"

Harry considered for a second. "Just dangerous."

Ginny laughed. "So, I'm a chic, exotic, sexy and dangerous Warrior Maiden?" She ticked each point off on her fingers. "Is there anything else you'd like to add?"

Harry shook his head. "Nope. I think that's good for now."

Ginny laughed and grabbed his hand. "Come on, Harry." She pulled him to the door. "Or we're never going to start your lessons. Harry let her lead him out into the yard, and she didn't drop his hand till she spotted her mum in the orchard. "We're going to the stream," she shouted, waving.

"Be back in time for dinner. And make sure you stay inside the ward."

"We will," Ginny shouted back. "God she really thinks I'm stupid," she added quietly.

"Ok, enjoy yourselves."

Ginny pasted a smile on her face. "Thanks, Mum."

Harry followed Ginny into the woods and then back along the stream to where it fell over a small ledge. "Um, aren't we close to the edge of the ward?" he asked. The ledge was only about ten feet or so high, and the way the trees hung over the pool below the falls he couldn't see the ground below.

"Almost," Ginny said. "She led him around to a path he hadn't seen leading down from the ledge and they came out under the trees above on a small grassy area bathed in dimpled spots of sunlight as it filtered down through the leaves and branches. "The edge is right there," Ginny pointed. There was a large rock prominently painted red sitting on the ground. "I threatened to hex Bill's bits if he didn't get my secret spot inside the ward."

Harry looked around. The stream fell over the steeply sloped ledge into a pool about twenty feet across before it flowed out beyond the ward. The grassy area was only about ten feet square and completely hidden from above. With the ward edge being so near, Harry hadn't bothered exploring past the ledge and because of it he'd completely missed Ginny's hiding spot.

"It's nice," he said.

"Don't go telling everyone now. Mum, Dad and Bill are the only ones who know about it. I haven't even shown it to Hermione."

"But you're sharing it with me?"

Ginny gave him a look. "Well I'm planning to obliviate you latter so don't get a big head or anything."

"Nice, Weasley," Harry retorted dryly.

Ginny stuck her tongue out at him. "You're cute when you're angry," Harry said.

Ginny set her bag on the ground and kicked off her shoes. "And you're full of shit. Give me a hand." She pulled a blanket from the bag and Harry helped her spread it on the ground. She sat down and dug in her bag again. She pulled out two well-worn books and contemplated them for a second before handing one to Harry.

Harry sat down next to her and took the book. "This?" he asked dubiously, "is occlumency training?" The picture of a muscled wizard without a shirt and a beautiful witch clinging to him on the cover told him exactly what kind of book it was.

Ginny lay down on her stomach and opened her book. "Trust me," she said. Harry stared at her. It was clear from the way her eyes moved from one side to the other and back again that she really was reading. She glanced up after a second. "Just read, Harry. Don't do anything else. Don't think about why or what, or anything. Just lay here with me and read."

Harry hesitated for a second longer. "If you say so," he said. He shifted around on the blanket so he could rest his head against a tree, opened the book and read the first page. He glanced up at Ginny.

"Just read, Harry," she said without looking up.

Guiltily he moved his eyes from her and went back to the book. Harry found he wasn't good at doing what she'd asked. It seemed even the smallest things distracted him; a squirrel chattering, a bird swooping through the sky, Ginny turning a page, a fish jumping in the pool below the falls. He'd just managed to read two pages without pause when Ginny shifted and rolled onto her back. She had one leg bent up with her foot on the ground and the other resting across it, hanging lazily in the air. She held her book at arm's length above her head, using it as a block against the sun in her eyes.

"Read, Harry," she said quietly; again without looking at him.

Harry quickly stopped staring at her and turned his attention back to the book. "Sorry," he said.

"It's ok," she said. She reached out and squeezed his lower leg. "Just read," she said again and went back to her own book. Harry's eyes fixated at her hand on his leg. "Read, Harry," she said quietly.

Harry flipped the page and made it through about five pages before Ginny rolled over on her stomach again. He found the loss of her hand on his leg rather upsetting and had difficulty getting his mind back on his book till Ginny sat up with a huff and looked at him as if he was irritating her.

"What?" he asked. "I'm reading; though I'm not sure how this is supposed to help me with occlumency."

Ginny seemed to reach some kind of conclusion, turned so she was crosswise to him on the blanket and laid her head on his thigh. She held her book up to block the sun again and sighed happily. "Nothing, you just have the only headrest."

"I can move," Harry said.

"Don't you dare."

Harry stared down at her. "Don't you think Dean would be a bit bothered by this?"

Ginny turned the page of her book. "Why would he care?"

"You said you were seeing him on the train."

"You fell for that too?" she asked. "Ron's been a pill about it every chance he gets."

"So then you're not dating him?"

"Nope," she said, popping the 'P'.

"Oh," Harry said. A grin climbed on his face and he pushed her book aside. "And what about Hermione?"

Ginny grinned back. "Oh, now her, I think it would be very bad if she found out. In fact, I think she'd be rather upset with me."

"I think Ron's going to be upset when he finds out his sister stole the girl he's been pining after since the Yule Ball."

Ginny sniffed disdainfully. "It's his own fault," she said. "It's not like she didn't practically tell him to ask her out. I can't help it if he didn't have the stones to do it." She moved her book to block the sun again. "Read, Harry."

Harry studied her for a second longer before picking up his book again. "Do you really like this stuff?" It's completely mindless."

"That's the point, Harry," she said patiently. Harry shifted a bit against the tree and she rolled to her side with the back of her head pressing against his stomach. With no place else to put it he rested his arm on her shoulder and they both feel silent for some time as they read.

Harry had made it through nearly three chapters when he realized he had a problem. His book was becoming rather… detailed _._ And his body was reacting rather noticeably. Annnd, Ginny's head was still in his lap. He set the book down and shifted.

"They do get rather graphic, don't they," Ginny said. Harry refused to look at her. Ginny sat up and took his book. She scanned down the page. Harry pointedly stared into the distance, his face aflame. Ginny giggled. "That is an interesting one. I'm not sure mum realized that was in there when she bought it.

"Girls really do," Harry waved his hand at the book, "that with each other?"

"Well yeah," Ginny said. "Lest ways some girls do."

"Have you?" Harry blurted.

"Harry James Potter!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Sorry," Harry hastened to apologize. "None of my business."

"Too right it isn't," Ginny said. "And for your information, no, I haven't. Though I wouldn't rule it out entirely." Harry goggled at her. Ginny suddenly buried her face in her hands. "Oh my God," she groaned. "I can't believe I just told you that."

"You," Harry said. "You should try it from this side of the equation."

"It's like you're Hermione or Luna or something."

"Excuse me?"

"No, I wouldn't even have told them that," Ginny continued. She suddenly looked up at him. "What in the hell is possessing me to talk to you like this?" she demanded. Harry opened his mouth to respond but she plowed forward. "I mean I'll be the first to admit I had a terrible crush on you. Hell, I could hardly string two words together if you were in the room. And today I'm flirting shamelessly with you. For Merlin's sake I asked you to give me your sperm at breakfast. Good morning, Harry," she parroted herself. "Would you please pass the salt? Oh and can you just go wank in this glass in the bathroom for me; because I really haven't completely tossed aside the idea of trading guys for girls?"

Harry's face went from red to purple and he bit down on his lips to keep from laughing. He was embarrassed as hell, but he knew she was going to be even worse when she realized what she'd just said.

Ginny gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. "My God, I just did it again. She flopped to her stomach on the ground and buried her head under her arms. "I'm just going to die of embarrassment now."

"Well I think it's only fair that you have no control over your mouth," Harry said.

"You would," Ginny retorted. "You're not the one with the problem."

"Sure," Harry agreed sarcastically. "It's not embarrassing at all to have a girl's head in your lap when that happens. Serves you right, giving me a book like that to read."

Ginny groaned. "Why on earth did Bill think I'd be good at teaching you this?"

Harry laughed. "I have no idea."

"Thanks a lot, Harry."

"Seriously," Harry said. "Why that book?" He nudged her with his foot when she didn't answer.

"Because it's mindless, Harry."

Would you mind sitting up? It's a bit difficult to understand what you're saying with your face buried in the ground like that."

Ginny shook her head. "I'm still hoping a bolt of lightning will strike me." Harry leaned forward and jabbed her in the side. "Eep!" she squeaked and scooted away. She rolled and quickly sat up, glaring at him. "Don't do that."

"It's about time," Harry muttered.

"You're a pain in the arse."

"Yeah, I know," Harry quipped. "Voldemort tells me that all the time only he's not so nice about it." He grinned at her. A smile tugged at her lips and the next thing they knew they had both collapsed in a fit of laughter. They eventually calmed down and just lay on their backs on the blanket."

"So what have we learned today?" Ginny asked.

"That you shouldn't talk, and I shouldn't read books when you have your head in my lap," Harry offered.

"I think that about covers it," she agreed. They were both quiet for some time before Ginny turned her head to the side to look at him. "Harry?"

Harry turned his head so he could see her. "Yeah?"

"You're a ton of fun to hang out with."

Harry grinned. "Thanks, Gin. You're not so bad yourself." Ginny stuck her tongue out at him before she turned to look up at the clouds again.

"So did we accomplish anything in regards to my occlumency?" Harry eventually asked.

Ginny sighed and sat up. "No. I'm afraid I'm going to need to rethink my approach."

Harry sat up too. "So the book really was part of your plan?"

Ginny nodded. "Before you can do anything else with occlumenc, you need an empty mind. And those books are a good way to get there. I just didn't think about the problems certain aspects of them would cause." Her face flushed again as she gave him a sheepish smile.

Harry smiled back. "So we try again tomorrow?"

"If you're willing to risk another afternoon of monumental embarrassment."

Harry shrugged. "Why not? I haven't got anything better to do. I might as well hang out with you."

Ginny shoved him. "Nice, Potter." She started gathering her things up.

"I suppose we should get back," Harry said. He stood and helped her fold the blanket.

"Thank you, Harry," she said. Harry grabbed the bag from her and slung it over his shoulder. "I'm perfectly capable of carrying my bag, Harry."

"I know you are. I just wanted to do it for you."

"Oh. I suppose that's ok then."

Harry waved at the path. "Lead on, Warrior Girl."

Ginny gave him a shove as she set off. "And quit flirting with me."

"Whatever you say, Gin."

"You are seriously pushing your luck, Potter."

"Un-huh," Harry retorted. "So have you picked a girl to live out your illicit fantasies with, or are there slots still open?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"I just want to make sure I don't decide to go after the same girl. I'd hate to set my sights on someone and find out I never stood a chance because the chic, exotic sexy and dangerous Warrior Maiden, Ginny Weasley had already claimed her."

"And what if I wasn't setting my sights on a girl?"

Harry snorted. "Well you won't have to worry about me fighting for you over some bloke."

"And what if the bloke happens to be you?"

"I'd say you were insane."

Harry opened the door and held it for her. "Wotcher, Harry. Ginny."

"Tonks!" They both exclaimed."

* * *

Author's notes:

Well, to be honest, looking from the outside, one would have to think anyone desiring to be Harry's girlfriend might not quite be all there.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's notes:

Remember, I moved Ginny's birthday to September 12th. She's nearly a year older than canon Ginny, only a few months younger than Harry, but still a year behind Harry at school.

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter V**

 **Trust Me!**

* * *

Harry glanced at his watch. It was 5:05am and Ginny hadn't shown up. He debated for another second on going back up to get her out of bed but Bill had told him in no uncertain terms not to. He was to wake her up once and that was it. He sighed dejectedly, stood and moved to the door. It looked like he was going to be on his own this morning.

* * *

Bill kicked Ginny's bed. Whaszat?" she mumbled.

"You said you were going to train with, Harry."

"Siz too early," Ginny said and rolled over.

"So that's it?" Bill asked. "I guess not letting him suffer through it alone was just a sad little speech." Groaning,Ginny flopped to her back with her arm over her eyes. "I'm disappointed in you, Ginevra." he said and walked out of the room.

* * *

Harry stopped and turned back when the door to the kitchen opened. He grinned when he saw Ginny stumble in. "You made it."

Ginny glared at him. "I hate you."

Harry smirked. "Sure you do." He pointed at the glass of 'Calories' he'd mixed up for her. "Drink that."

"What is it?" Ginny picked the glass up and sniffed.

"It's like chocolate milk. Come on, we're late."

"So?" Ginny took a swig, decided she liked whatever it was, downed it and followed Harry out the door.

"Keep up," he said and set off.

"You have got to be bloody kidding me," Ginny muttered before trudging after him.

Two hours later Ginny had her arms slung over Harry and Fleur's shoulders as they helped her back in the house. "'Elp me get 'er to zee toilet, Harry," Fleur said. "I will see zat she makes et to breakfast before 'er bed."

"Bed?" Ginny asked perking up from her barely coherent state.

"You need to eat first, Gin," Harry said.

"Don wanna eat."

Harry and Fleur maneuvered her up the stairs and into the loo. "All right, Ginevra," Fleur said. "You need to stand up by yourself now."

"Wanna sit down," Ginny mumbled.

"Let's just set her on the floor," Harry suggested.

"Yes, floor," Ginny said and promptly attempted to sit. Harry and Fleur were caught off guard and nearly tumbled down on top of her as she collapsed to the floor. They managed to let her down easy and stood looking down at her prone form. Harry nudged her with a toe. "Uunhh," she grunted and flopped to her back.

"Think she'll live?" Harry asked.

"Per'aps," Fleur hedged. "Go finish your training, Harry. I will 'elp 'er get cleaned up and down to breakfast."

"Not go'win' no where," Ginny mumbled."

Harry backed out of the bathroom. "See you later, Gin."

"Go 'way, Harry."

"Aww, you love me and you know it."

"I hope Bill drowns you."

Harry laughed. "You really are messed up, Gin. Or did you forget it was his training regimen I was putting you through?"

"I hope you drown each other."

Fleur pushed Harry out the door. "Go away, Harry. You two can flirt latter."

"Ha!" Ginny barked. "I'd sooner flirt with a cave troll."

"I can arrange that," Harry retorted.

"Training, Harry," Fleur answered. "Or there will be no massage Saturday."

"Yes, Ms. Delacour," Harry said. He turned, bounded down the stairs and hurried back out to where Bill was waiting."

An hour later,Harry sat down next to Ginny at the breakfast table, "How ya doing, Gin?"

Ginny didn't bother to pick her head up from the table. "Damn, you're still alive."

"Ginevra!" Molly scolded. She'd missed Harry and Fleur dragging Ginny back in the house by about two minutes and had only become aware of her daughter's state when she wobbled into the kitchen and collapsed with her head on the table. Inquiries as to what was wrong had brought nothing but grunts from her.

"It's ok, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said. "It's just her way of saying she loves me."

"In your dreams, Potter."

Molly eyed the two of them and quickly put two and two together. Ginny looked like Harry had a little more than two weeks ago. "Ginevra," she said, "did you get up and go out with Harry and Bill this morning?"

"No," Ginny said. "I couldn't possibly be that stupid. She suddenly sat up. "That pillock didn't even come out till 7:00. He had a lie in while this idiot tried to kill me… Whoa," she said weaving slightly. "My head is spinning."

Harry caught her around the shoulders, steadying her. "Easy, Gin." He pulled her head against his shoulder.

"Oh," Ginny sighed, "that's better. You're much softer than the table." She closed her eyes and sagged against him.

Harry looked at Mrs. Weasley who was staring at the two of them with wide eyes. "See, told you she loved me."

Ginny snuggled in tighter. "I'm going to kill you, Harry. Just as soon as I wake up."

"Ginevra," Molly said. "I'm not sure I want you doing these things with Harry and Bill?"

Ginny went ridged against Harry almost instantly. She sat up and demanded, "Why not?" Her voice was tightly controlled, but Harry could hear the anger in it.

"Ginevra," Molly said. "Do you see yourself? You can't even sit up without Harry holding you."

Ginny scooted away from Harry. "I'm perfectly fine, Mother. And if you remember, Harry was hardly any better after his first day with Bill."

"I don't like it, Ginevra. I don't like it with Harry, and I don't like it with you."

Ginny glared at her. "Are you going to tell me I can't; like you do with everything else?"

"Don't you take that tone with me, young lady?"

"Why not?" Ginny demanded. "When am I going to be old enough to decide something for myself? You wouldn't let me fly a broom till two years after any of the boys because I was too small and might get hurt. And look what happens; I can fly circles around any of them. Lord knows Dad and Bill argued with you for hours over me playing quidditch this year. You wouldn't let me work at the twin's shop this summer because I'm too young and it isn't a respectable place of employment for any daughter of yours. But it's ok for Ron. I might have liked to earn some pocket money too you know. For Merlin's sake Dad had to put his foot down when you wanted to hold me out of Hogwarts till I was twelve. Never mind that would have made me thirteen all of four weeks into my first-year."

Molly planted her hands on her hips. "And that certainly turned out well, didn't it?" She realized her temper had gotten the better of her almost immediately. "Ginny, I'm sorry." She said, but it was too late; any walls that had been breached in the last few days went back up and this time they were twice as high and four times thicker.

Ginny stood and braced her hands on the table. "How dare you," she hissed. "You have no idea what I went through. I had that bastard in my head for a year. I'd like to see any _one_ of your precious sons survive even a week."

"Ginny, I didn't–"

"Just once, Mother," Ginny cut her off, "would it kill you to encourage me?" Molly reached for Ginny's arm, but she backed away. "Don't touch me," she said venomously.

Harry turned away as a tear slipped down Molly's cheek. "I'm sorry, Ginny," she said.

Ginny stuck her nose up in the air. "Don't bother, mother. My birthday is forty-nine days from now. You won't have to worry about your shameful daughter ever again." She turned and stalked out of the kitchen.

"Ginny," Molly pleaded.

"I have nothing more to say to you, Mother," Ginny said. A few seconds later the entire Burrow shook with the force of her door slamming shut."

Molly closed her eyes. "Oh dear," she said.

"What was that?" Bill asked quietly. Harry's head snapped around so quickly he put a crick in his neck. In the midst of Ginny's tirade he hadn't noticed Bill come in from the back garden; neither had Molly as she spun around so quickly she had to catch her balance on the counter.

"Oh, Bill," she gasped and put her hand over her heart. "You surprised me."

Bill didn't offer an apology. "What did you say to her?"

Molly faltered for a moment under the coldness in his eyes but rallied a second later. "Honestly, William," she said. "She's impossible. And I won't have you take that tone with me."

"Potter?" Bill snapped.

"Sir?" Harry asked, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Word for word, what happened. Now." Harry swallowed and refused to look at Mrs. Weasley. "Now, Potter."

"Don't you take that tone with him," Molly tried to come to his rescue.

"Now, Potter."

Harry closed his eyes. "Please don't," he pleaded.

Bill took pity on him. "It was the Chamber, wasn't it? You blamed her for it, didn't you?" Silence settled on them. "Damn you, mother," he said quietly.

"William, Arthur Weasley," she started.

"No," he snapped. "I've tried and fought and begged her for years to try and forgive and forget how you handled the summer after that damn diary. I've begged her not to set her feet so hard in the ground. And I've begged you to stop looking at her like she was two. I begged you for days to let her work at the fucking shop with the twins. But it didn't fit your idea of what's appropriate for your daughter and you refused. I've spent the last three weeks trying to talk her out of filling a Petition of Disownment when she turns sixteen."

"No," Molly cried.

"Yes," Bill retorted harshly. "And I'd finally managed it. I had her word that she wouldn't do it. She promised me she'd try once more… Well, guess what you and your damn temper, your refusal to support her in anything you don't pick for her, have finally done it. I'm never going convince her not to file that petition now."

Molly leaned heavily against the counter. "She can't," she pleaded fighting back tears.

"She's already filled the damn paperwork out. All she has to do is send it off."

"I'll–"

"You won't do anything," Bill snapped. "You'll leave her alone and I'll try and fix it again. Until then, stay away from her."

Molly nodded meekly. "Ok." Bill turned and went out the back door. "Aren't you—"

"No," he cut her off, "I'm going to collect the damn owls so she can't send the thing off with a stay till her birthday." He disappeared out the back door, slamming it as hard as Ginny had slammed the door to her room earlier. Mrs. Weasley jumped as if she'd been cursed before sagging even further against the counter.

For Harry, the entire episode was worse than his worst nightmares. He'd always thought them the greatest family. The model of what a family should be. Sure there were fights and disagreements, but they were a family and they stuck together no matter what. And then Percy had walked out last year. And now, it sounded very much like Ginny was going to do the same. He'd never know what made him do it, but he pushed his chair back from the table, went and helped Molly to a chair and turned to the stove. He was a few minutes into it when Mrs. Weasley stood and tried to stop him.

"Harry, sit down. You don't need to cook your own breakfast."

"I'm not, Mrs. Weasley."

She gave him a puzzled look. "But then who are—"

"I'm making yours and Ginny's. Please sit down."

"Oh," she said and backed away to her chair again. She'd been watching him a few seconds when, she said, "But I've already eaten."

"Then I'll make Ginny's." Harry went about his business and she let him without further interruption. In short order he had eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns and toast piled on a plate. "No salt, lots of pepper and strawberry jam, right?" he asked.

Molly stared at him in wonder. "How did you know?"

Harry shrugged. "Just noticed."

He set the plate on a tray, covered it and added a mug of tea with honey along with a large glass of cranberry juice to it. He hesitated for a second before he took a deep breath and picked it up. "I'll stop her, Mrs Weasley," he said and left the kitchen.

"I told you I have nothing more to say to you, Mother," Ginny said with the knock on her door.

"It's me, Gin," Harry said. He listened intently but Ginny had gone silent. "Gin?" he asked again. "I brought you something to eat." There was still no response. "Ok," he said after a minute. "I'll just leave it here for you." He bent to set the tray on the floor just as the door opened. Her face was blotchy and tear streaked and Harry was struck by the fact that he'd only ever seen her cry once; the day he saved her from the Chamber of Secrets. She hadn't even cried when her ankle had been broken that past spring. She raised her chin defiantly.

"Hey," he said quietly.

She sniffed. "Hey."

"I brought you some breakfast."

Ginny glanced at the tray before setting hard eyes on him. "Did she send you?"

Harry shook his head. "No. I don't think she's up to cooking right now. But I thought you needed to eat so I made you this."

"You cooked for me?"

Harry looked at the tray. "Suppose so."

Ginny pursed her lips, battling with herself. Something in her eyes broke and she opened the door. "Would you like to come in?"

Harry hesitated. He wasn't sure he should be in her room. Heck, he'd barely ever even looked in her room, much less set foot in it. But something in her face that was very similar to their discussion the other day when they had talked ever so briefly about the Chamber and his desire to make up for not being there to help her in the aftermath told him if he really wanted her as a friend then he'd better step up and be there when she needed him now. If that meant being in her room in her parents' house, then so be it. He screwed up his courage and stepped in. "Sure," he said Ginny closed the door behind him. Harry turned around and stared at it for a second before looking at her. "Erm, where would you like it?"

Ginny sat down on the floor and leaned against the bed. She tucked her knees up under her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs. "Just set it on the floor," she said. Harry set the tray down in front of her and sat down next to her. She immediately leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you."

"Welcome," he said. Harry took a few seconds to look around her room. It was small. The bed was tucked against the wall under the window and he imagined she probably sat on it looking out on the gardens a fair bit. At the foot of the bed there was a wardrobe. The door had a full-length mirror, and there was barely enough space between it and the bed to open it. She had a desk tucked behind the door and her school trunk was pushed up against the wall on the other side of the door. Her broom was set on top of her trunk leaning in the corner and the last little bit of wall space was taken up with a bookshelf. The walls were covered with pictures she had tacked up and a poster of Victor Krum. Many of the pictures looked to be hand drawn. Higher up on one wall there was a shelf crammed with stuffed animals and various nic-knacks. The walls were painted a soft yellow and her bedspread and the curtains were a faded light purple. He decided it was appropriately her; definitely feminine yet not overly girly with lacy pink things.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked after what seemed an appropriate amount of time.

"Not really."

"You just wanna sit here and lean on my shoulder?"

"Yep."

"Ok. But you really should eat."

"I'm not hungry," she said.

"Ok." Harry tipped his head back to rest against the bed and closed his eyes.

They sat there for some time before she asked, "Why won't anyone believe in me?"

Harry picked his head up. "Sorry?" He tried to see her face but she hadn't shifted her head from his shoulder and it was impossible.

"I mean I really am a better flyer than any of my brothers. I'm a chaser, but they made me play seeker when Umbridge chucked you off the team and I still caught the snitch ,and we weren't going to win if I didn't. But all anyone talks about is how great a seeker Charlie was, or how great of beaters the twins were. And Ron gets his own song because he made a few saves. But me, I get nothing. Ginny sat up and fixed him with a furious look. And I do really well in school. My marks are as good as Hermione's. But she's the smartest witch of her generation. She's the brilliant one; the one the professors all rave about. Me, I'm just little Ginny Weasley, or Ron's sister. I don't even get to be Bill's sister and he was the brilliant head boy. Nope, I'm just mediocre Ron's little sister." She finished her rant and picked at a spot on the rug. "I'm so nonexistent, even Snape doesn't pick on me."

"He doesn't?" Harry asked.

Ginny didn't bother to look up. "I've never once gotten detention or lost points from him… I even pranked him but he just blamed it on the twins."

"What did you do?"

"He keeps a jar of toffees in his office. I dumped a handful of the twin's Ton Tongue Toffees in it."

"Seriously?"

"He just blamed it on the twins. And I did it after they'd pulled their stunt on Umbridge and left school."

Harry studied her while she continued to pick at the rug. He eventually reached out and lifted her chin. "I believe in you," he said quietly.

Her eyes welled with tears. "Do you really mean that?"

Harry nodded. "Yes."

A single tear slipped down her cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.

Harry brushed the tear off her cheek. "Welcome."

She blushed and looked away. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"I could go back to being a clueless, oblivious, insensitive berk if you like." He smirked when she looked up. "But then you have to go back to the blushing little girl who had a crush on me."

Ginny kicked at him. "You really are turning into a flirt."

Harry kicked back. "I only flirt with the prettiest girls."

Ginny's eyes widened but she wasn't about to let him get the best of her. She crossed her arms and mock glared at him. "And exactly how many pretty girls are you flirting with, Potter?" Harry pursed his lips, pretending to think about it. After a second he leaned across her and took the cover off the tray he'd brought up. The enticing smells of bacon, sausage, eggs, hashbrowns and toast wafted into the room. "What are you doing?" she asked when he grabbed a slice of bacon and began chewing on it.

"I'm hungry."

"That's my breakfast!" she cried indignantly.

Harry shrugged and grabbed a sausage. "So?"

"So, quit stealing it!" Ginny blocked his next attempt to steal something off her plate.

"You said you weren't hungry." Harry poked her in the side and made another grab for the bacon.

Ginny squealed. "Don't poke me!" Harry poked her again. She squealed and grabbed his hand. "I'm warning you, Potter, if you don't stop poking me."

"You'll what?" Harry made a half attempt to break free and poke her again.

"Harry! Don't!"

Harry laughed. "Someone's a bit ticklish, isn't she?"

"I swear, Harry. I'll hex you in your sleep."

"Ohhh," he teased. "I'm scared now."

"My bat boggie."

"Phish. I'd block it without rolling over."

"Bill can't block it," she retorted. It was a lie, but Harry didn't know that.

Harry kept his eyes on hers while he took his free hand, deliberately took her wrist and applied gentle pressure. She tried to fight it but her grip broke and he pulled his other hand free. "I'm better than Bill," he said quietly. "And you should eat."

"Are not," she answered just as quietly.

"Am," he countered. "Eat." Ginny silently cursed herself. How could she win when he looked at her like that? Harry reached over her and picked the plate up. He set it in his lap, picked up the fork and piled hashbrowns on it. He then held it out to her. "Eat. Before you get over being pissed at your mum and pass out."

Ginny cautiously took the fork from him. "Ok." Even though what Harry had brought her was twice her normal breakfast all it took was for the first bite to hit her stomach to wake it up and she easily at it all. She did so silently, and Harry didn't talk either; merely holding her plate in his lap while he sat with his legs crossed in front of her. She was acutely aware of him studying her, and he didn't look away when she would stop to glance at him. It was odd, this sudden closeness. She didn't understand how it had come about in what amounted to only a few weeks of truly interacting with him. But she decided she rather liked it. She really only had a few friends and none of them were all that close. Luna, she supposed, and Hermione, but that was it. She found herself hoping his side of this didn't stem only from the fact that Ron and Hermione were, for the most part, unavailable. She really didn't think she could stand to be dropped when they did become available.

"Better?" he asked when she'd finished.

Ginny grinned. "Much. Thank you, Harry."

Harry grinned back. "Any time, Gin." He seemed undecided as to what to do next before he said, "Well I suppose I should bring that back down. I imagine you might like to lie down for a bit."

"Yeah right. I've got chores to do, and if you think I'm giving her the satisfaction of seeing me too tired to do them after this morning, you've got another think coming." She stood along with him, intent on going about the rest of her day.

Harry was going to respond but there was a soft knock at the door and then Mrs. Weasley's voice from the other side. "Ginny?" she asked. Harry looked to Ginny in time to see her ice over. "Ginny, are you in there?" Mrs. Weasley asked when Ginny didn't answer.

Harry reached over and took her hand. "Gin, she is your mum," he said quietly. "And you should remember you're lucky to have her."

Ginny considered for a second. Why it sounded so much more reasonable coming from Harry than Bill she couldn't fathom. "I can't, Harry," she protested.

"Do you really want to file that petition? Yes I know," he said when her eyes widened. "Do you?" he pressed.

"Ginny?" Molly called

"Will you stay?" Ginny asked.

Harry nodded "If you want."

"I do." She sat back down and pulled him with her. "You can come in," she called. The door opened and Mrs. Weasley stepped in. She paused for a second, clearly surprised to see Harry sitting with her.

"Not one word, mother," Ginny said. "Harry was just sitting with me while I ate."

Harry could see that Ginny's mother was torn for a second over the fact that he had been in her room with the door closed. But she wisely decided that was a battle for another day. "Harry," she asked. "Would you mind giving us a few minutes?"

"I want him to stay," Ginny said before Harry could answer. She reached over and took his hand to emphasize her point. "Anything you have to say to me, he can hear too."

"All right, Ginny," Molly sighed. "You win."

"I never wanted to win, Mother. I want you to trust me. And believe me I've tried. But I just can't anymore. And I'm not going to spend the next two years fighting with you. Or have you tutting your disapproval whenever I do something you don't want me to. I don't know how Bill and Charlie and the twins can stand it with you always telling them you don't like the way they dress or their hair is cut or what they're wearing or what they've decided to do for a living."

"Ginny," Mrs. Weasley pleaded. "I wish you'd talk to me. You've never talked to me about what happened to you."

"And that's my fault? You're the one who spent the summer walking out of the room whenever I came in. You could barely look at me at meals. Do you think I didn't notice? And now you have the nerve to throw that in my face? How dare you, Mother. How dare you," she emphasized.

Mrs. Weasley closed her eyes painfully. "You're right, Ginny. I'm sorry." She opened her eyes to look at Ginny again. "I just didn't know what to do. I didn't leave the room because of you, I left because I was ashamed of myself for not knowing how to help you. But I'd like to try now if you'll let me."

"You'd like to try now?" Ginny said incredulously. "Of all the nerve."

"Gin," Harry said quietly.

"What?" she snapped rounding on him.

Harry didn't back down. He knew things were coming out today that had been festering for years on Ginny's side of this battle. And he knew the future of Ginny's relationship with her mother hung in the balance of the next few seconds. He wasn't sure how far he could press Ginny in their growing friendship, but he suddenly realized she could ask nearly anything of him and he'd do it. And something told him it was the same for her. If he was wrong, then he could at least say he'd tried.

"You gave me a chance," he said.

Ginny's face twitched. "It's not the same."

"Isn't it?"

"She was my mother, Harry. She was supposed to be there. You were just some boy who barely knew me."

"She's your mum, Gin. You only get one. I should know."

Ginny shook her head slightly. "Harry, I…"

Harry put his fingers under her chin. "Please, Gin," he said, speaking with his eyes as much as any words he said, "For me?"

Ginny furrowed her brow. "For you?"

"Don't let him take your mum too." Ginny stared at him with wide eyes. She didn't need Harry to tell her who 'Him' was; she knew. Just like he knew she didn't need him to tell her. "For me," he said softly.

Ginny slowly nodded. "For you."

 _What in the world?_ Molly thought, completely dumbfounded. Of all the people who might have found a way to bridge the chasm she'd torn open this morning between herself and Ginny, one Harry James Potter was the last person she'd have believed could do it. Yet he had. Whatever hold he had on her was enough that a few well chosen words had gotten her to agree to something that after this morning she was under no illusion anyone else could have.

Harry grinned at her. "That's my girl."

 _His girl?_ Molly thought

"Excuse me?" Ginny asked, surprised.

Harry smirked at her. "You're not my girl?"

"No, Potter, I most certainly am not."

Harry frowned. "Huh, I could have swore I left her around here somewhere." He shrugged. "Guess I'll go look for her. I was supposed to help with her chores." He stood and picked up her breakfast tray.

Ginny caught his leg. "Where are you going?"

"My room," he said seriously. "Come find me when you're ready."

"But," she said.

"You're a big girl, Gin. And I believe in you." He gently pulled his leg from her grasp. "Come find me when you're ready to do your chores.

Ginny quickly stood and hugged him as best she could around the tray in his hands. "Thank you, Harry."

"Welcome, Gin," he said when she let him go. He gave Mrs. Weasley a small smile as he stepped around her. "Guess she was hungry. I only got one rasher and a sausage." Molly could do nothing but stare with wide eyes at him as he left.

"Potter," Ginny called.

"Yeah?"

"If you see my guy around, tell him I'm looking for him."

"Sure thing, Gin."

With Harry gone Molly and Ginny eventually had nothing left to do but engage one another again. "I'm going to train with him, Mother. I suggest you get use to it."

"All I ask is that you think about what you're doing. I've never liked what your brother is teaching him. I don't like it for Bill. I don't like it for Harry and I don't like it for you."

"That's not what I want to hear, Mother. I know you don't like it. You made that clear from the moment you found out Bill was doing it years ago. The problem is you don't like anything you don't understand and you make only the barest token of an effort to try and understand. Especially in the case of something that is muggle."

"I'll try harder," Molly said.

"I also don't want to hear I can't be in my room with Harry with the door closed."

"Ginny…"

"No. If you want me to find a way to trust you, then you find a way to trust me. We aren't even dating."

Molly raised an eye. "You're not?"

"No."

Molly battled with herself. What she'd just seen told her there was something going on between them. She just didn't know what. "How about we compromise?"

Ginny scowled. "What is it?"

"I honestly don't know if I can believe you're telling me the truth when you say you aren't dating Harry."

"I'm not," Ginny snapped her temper flaring.

Molly held her hand up. "Please, let me finish."

Ginny subsided. "Fine."

"You're too good an actress, Ginny. You've lied to me dozens of times and I've believed you only to find out the opposite was true. But I'm going to believe you this time. I'm even going to allow you to have Harry in your room with the door closed. But," Molly held up a finger. "I'm going to simply walk in instead of waiting for you to tell me I can. I'll knock once, tell you it's me, and open the door."

"No."

"No?" Molly exclaimed. "What do you mean no?"

"That isn't trust, Mother. You may as well follow Harry and I all over the place. Do you want to come sit by the stream with us to make sure we don't end up shagging? Or perhaps you'd like to get up and come train with us so we don't decide we'd rather have a quick shag behind Dad's shed. I want you to trust me; trust that I'm making the right decision for me, even if that means Harry and I are sleeping together; which we are not. We are not even dating. I actually have no interest in dating anyone at the current time."

"Ginny, I don't know."

"God damnit, Mother," Ginny blew up, "trust me! For once in your life accept that I'm old enough to decide for myself what to do. I know what the possible consequences are."

"Fine," Molly snapped. "Close the door. Lock it for all I care. Have whatever boy, or girl for that matter, with you. I'm going to trust that you have enough respect for your father and I to remember we don't believe in sexual relations before marriage and that you would not disappoint us by doing so in our house."

Ginny closed her eyes and sighed blissfully. "I accept," she said.

"You do?"

"I won't promise that I won't sleep with someone before I'm married. But I swear I won't do it in your house." She opened her eyes and gave her mother a small but genuine smile. "Thank you for trusting me."

Molly smiled back. "I'm trying, Ginny. I know I haven't done a good job in the past, but I'm trying."

"I need you to stop trying and do, Mum. If you can't, then I just don't see that I have any choice left. I don't want to leave, because I do love you, but I will."

"Where would you go?" she whispered.

"Do you really think Bill wouldn't leave with me; or that the twins wouldn't give me a job so I could pay for the rest of my schooling?"

"No. I know they would. You've really considered all of this, haven't you?"

"Yes."

"Does your father know?"

"No."

"I'll tell him what happened tonight; explain why I've agreed to basically accept that you're an adult. But I hope you'll at least still go to him for advice on occasion."

"I'm perfectly willing to live by 99% of your rules, Mum. I'm just not willing to let you decide what I'm going to do anymore. I don't want to be a healer like you did. If you can stop trying to make me live your dreams and help me live mine, then I don't even care about things like shutting the door to my room with a boy in here."

"Then why?"

"It's just a metaphor, Mum. I know what you approve and don't approve off. And believe it or not I desperately want your approval. I don't share your belief on sex before marriage but I can certainly respect that this is your house and it should be a small sacrifice for me to make to live by the same rule you set down for Bill when Fleur moved in. Honestly, it isn't a sacrifice because while I might not be against the idea for someone else, I'm not likely to engage in it myself. I really kind of like the idea that only my husband will ever touch me like that."

"All right, Ginny. I'm going to work with you to fix whatever's broken between us. Play quidditch, train with Harry, be whatever you want to be if it isn't a healer. Just please think about the choices you make and if you ever feel like you need to hear an opinion other than Bill's, then I hope you come to me. And I know I didn't handle the situation after your first year well. I simply didn't know how and I felt I'd failed you so badly I could hardly bear to look at you for the guilt I felt. I know that only made my failing worse, but I can't go back and change it. All I can do is tell you I am not ashamed of you. I've never been ashamed of you. And that if you still feel like there are things you need to deal with regarding the diary, I'm here now. I'm sorry I wasn't then, but I'm here now."

"Ok, Mum."

"I do love you, Ginny."

"I love you too, Mum."

"Do you think I might be able to get a hug?" Ginny stood and they met in the middle of her room. She squeezed her mother with all her might, getting squeezed just as tightly back. "Thank you, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said when they let go. She smiled tremulously and swiped at the tear on her cheek. "You best go find Harry."

Ginny smiled. "Yeah, if I don't, he'll find some way of getting himself in trouble."

"Oh, just get going."

"Ok, I love you, mum."

"I love you too, Ginny."

* * *

Bill was sitting in the kitchen when Molly came back down. "You went and talked to her, didn't you?"

"Yes."

He stood and went to embrace her. "I know. I heard all of it; what Harry said, what she said, what you said. It's about time."

Molly held him fiercely. "How did he do it, Bill?"

Bill shrugged. "I don't know, Mum. I think it might have something to do with the wizard's debt she owes him."

Molly pushed him back. "Bill, she did it because he asked her too."

"I know."

"So what else will she do because he asks?"

"Probably close to anything, mum. But then I don't think it's much different for him."

"What do you mean?"

"Mum, he made her breakfast and went up there with the intention of stopping her from filing that petition. He may have asked her to do it for him, but he did it for her. Unless I miss my bet, I think in the next few weeks, you're going to see just what extents he'll go to for her."

"Bill where do you think this is going between them?"

He shrugged again. "Does it matter? If it's not romantic, I trust him not to do anything he shouldn't. And if it is romantic, I trust him with her."

Molly leaned into him again. "You're right, thank you, William."

"Be careful, Mum. This is fragile. I wasn't going to be able to fix it. And if you break it again, I'm not sure even Harry will be able to stop her."

* * *

"I hope you aren't looking for another book," Harry said. He and Ginny had finished her chores in time for lunch. Then they had gone up to her room where she had done revision for an hour while Harry had dutifully read through two chapters of his book on yoga. He was halfway through it with three days to go before Saturday and his hoped for massage from Fleur. Harry was past the point of the constant agony he'd been in for two weeks while his body adjusted to the training regimen but he was still sore in a number of places. And the bruises up and down his legs were testament to the times he'd missed a block in his martial arts training and Bill had leveled him. Now, he and Ginny had trekked back out to her hidden spot by the stream for the afternoon.

"Ha Ha, Harry." She pulled out two small pillows and tossed her bag aside. "Move over. You're in my spot. Harry stuck his tongue out at her but moved aside. Ginny leaned up against the tree, putting one pillow behind her back. She set the other pillow on her stomach. "Ok," she said. Occlumency training take two. Lie down on your back between my legs with your head here."

Harry eyed her curiously for a second before he shrugged. "Ok, but you have to swear you won't tell my girl if you see her."

"Ha. This is just a trick to get my guy to come pummel you when he sees you sitting here with me. Now be quiet." Ginny placed her fingers against his temples and started rubbing in a slow circular motion."

"If this is your new training method, I approve."

"Close your eyes and count, Harry," she said.

"Count?"

"Yes. Silently and nice and steady. Stay awake for as long as you can."

"Not going to be long," Harry said.

"Shush," she said. "Count and awake. Noting else."

"K." Harry shifted a bit, getting comfortable. He started with his arms crossed over his chest but eventually let them lie at his sides on her legs. Harry made it about ten minutes before he was sleeping. Ginny gave him a gentle nudge.

"Harry," she said quietly. Harry blinked his eyes open. "No sleeping."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly.

"It's ok. Just try to stay awake."

Harry let his eyes drift closed again. "K." Harry woke, disorientated, a short time later. He wasn't sure if Ginny had woken him two or three times after the first but apparently the peace of their spot had overcome her too. Her hands rested comfortably on his shoulders while her head lolled to the side. Her chest rose rhythmically as she slept. _That can't be comfortable,_ he thought. He sat up intending to gently lay her down on the blanket but she woke when he moved.

"Where going?" she asked, blinking her eyes.

"Nowhere," Harry answered. "Come lay down." Harry patted the ground next to him.

Ginny promptly scooted over and stretched out. "K."

Harry propped his pillow low against the tree and laid back to nap himself. His head had no more than hit the pillow when Ginny rolled over on her side with her head on his chest and one leg draped up over him. "So tired," she said sleepily.

Harry stared down at her with no small amount of surprise and confusion. He was well aware that they'd been flirting outrageously the last few days. That in itself was difficult for him to fathom, as he'd never flirted with anyone before; not even Cho when his stomach was doing loop-d-loops every time he looked at her. Yet in the last few days he just couldn't seem to stop himself from flirting with Ginny. His actions towards her, much like his words, seemed to be happening before he even had a chance to process what he was doing or saying. It was quite confusing because he would have thought if he was going to flirt with a girl his stomach would be doing those loop-d-loops. As he looked down at her lying with her head on his chest, he wondered if it was the fact that she wasn't eliciting exhilarating drops in his stomach that was allowing him to be so comfortable around her.

That wasn't to say he wasn't feeling something when he saw her; there was definitely something there. If he had to put words on it, he guessed it would be a deeply rooted affection and concern for her. It was like what he felt for Hermione; yet it was different too. Hermione was fun and he was fairly certain he loved her in a brotherly way. He didn't feel the least bit brotherly towards Ginny. It was like he had no choice in his feelings for Hermione; she was family. Ginny though, was a friend; someone he had a choice in. In a way it seemed more special than his relationship with Hermione; or at least it had the potential to be, as he reasoned anytime you actually had a choice in something, that made it more special. And there was something intriguing about Ginny that just didn't exist in his thoughts for Hermione.

And she was calming in a way that Harry didn't think Hermione could ever be. Ginny had yet to press him about how he was feeling regarding the events at the ministry and Sirius. She hadn't asked even once; it seemed that Hermione's letters were nothing but an attempt to get him to talk. But he somehow knew Ginny's not pressing him wasn't because she didn't care. It was like he knew she had concluded he would talk when he was ready, and she would patiently wait and be there for him when he was. As he considered it, he decided it had to be the Chamber that allowed her to let him do things in his own time. She'd lived something similar, in some ways it was worse than what he was going through and in some ways not. Her recovery from that event seemed to have taught her exactly what he needed. Perhaps, he thought, because what he needed was very similar to what she had needed.

"Do you mind?" Ginny asked.

Harry shifted down just a bit and wrapped his arm up around her back, pulling her in. "No," he said quietly. "Just don't tell my girl."

Ginny snuggled in tighter. "I won't."

* * *

Author's notes:

"Huh, I could have swore I left her around here somewhere." Might be one of my favorite lines I've ever written.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's notes:

Remember, I moved Ginny's birthday to September 12th. She's nearly a year older than canon Ginny's only a few months younger than Harry, but still a year behind Harry at school.

And this might be where Harry goes the most out of character, perhaps too far. But it's what he wanted when I wrote this so there ya go.

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter VI**

 **She Asked Him To**

* * *

It was a week after his second occlumency lesson and Harry found himself in a familiar position; under the tree in Ginny's secret spot by the stream lying with his head in her lap while she massaged his temples. She'd done it every day since that first time for an hour or so before they both fell asleep in the warm afternoon sun for a few hours before they headed back to the Burrow and dinner.

Their training with Bill and Fleur had continued and today Ginny had finally managed to complete her first full session with them. She was sore, exhausted, and cranky with everyone but Harry. He in turn was simply in awe of her determination. There was no reason for her to suffer with him like she was every morning. Her single driving factor seemed to be not letting Harry do it alone. She'd asked him exactly what the wording of the prophecy was a few days ago, and as she basically knew the gist of it already, from the morning he and Bill had tossed her in the pond, he had shared. Her only response was that she'd be there; through it all. Training seemed to be her way of proving it. She wanted him to know someone was willing to make the sacrifices for him that he was making for everyone else. Someone would learn the things he shouldn't ever have had to; push themselves to the point of crumpling to the ground and vomiting as he was, so he wasn't alone. The level of gratitude he felt towards her was growing exponentially with each thing she refused to fail for him. It was almost scary the things it was becoming apparent she would do for him. Even more frightening was the growing realization that it was for him and him alone that she would sacrifice and suffer as she was.

"Gin?" Harry asked.

"Hmm?"

"I think I've figured out what you're trying to accomplish with this, but how do you know if it's working?"

"It is."

"How do you know?"

"Because I can feel the turmoil surrounding you diminish when we're doing this."

"Sorry?"

"Training for occlumency and legilimency go hand in hand, Harry."

Harry's eyes snapped open. "You're reading my mind?" he yelped.

Ginny sighed and stopped rubbing. "Well I guess we're done now. Sit up, Harry, and calm down. I would never use full legilimency against you without your permission."

Harry sat up and watched her warily. "I trust you're going to explain?"

Ginny sighed again. "Harry, did you ever even bother to read _anything_ when Dumbledore had you start doing this with Snape?" From the look on his face the answer was apparent. "Of course not," she muttered. "What is wrong with you, Harry?" she asked with exasperation. "You have the worst Dark Lord in ages pillaging around in your mind, and you don't bother trying to learn everything you can about how to stop it. You can't just rely on people to tell you everything. Sometimes you need to go to the library and help yourself." Harry scowled. He knew she was right, but having his failing pointed out only illustrated further how he could have prevented what had happened to Sirius. Ginny reached out and put her hand on his leg.

"It's not your fault, Harry."

"Isn't it?" he asked. "You just rather eloquently pointed out another way I could have done better. He stood up and walked to the edge of the stream where he picked up a handful of stones and started throwing them angrily into the water. Ginny let him go, simply sitting and watching while he worked through some of his anger.

"Are you done?" she eventually asked when he'd stopped throwing stones and had just been standing there for some time.

"No."

"Come back here and sit down."

Harry tensed with the order but slumped a second later. "How the hell do you do that?" he demanded without turning around.

Ginny waited a second before answering. "Maybe it's because you know I've been there."

Harry turned to face her. "How do you do it? How do you get past the guilt; because I know, no matter what everyone says, you still blame yourself?" Ginny patted the ground in front of her. Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said striding back to sit with her. He picked at the blanket but refused to look at her.

Ginny reached out and turned his face to her. "I'm not going to lie to you, Harry. You are partly to blame. But there is plenty of blame to go around. Snape could have done better teaching you. Dumbledore could have had you work with someone else when he saw it wasn't working with you and Snape. Bill could have stepped in before he did. He knew it wasn't working. I could have helped you. I knew whatever Snape was doing wasn't helping you. I could sense the turmoil around you growing every day. Every time you came back from a session with him you were worse than when you'd left for it. I could have said the hell with Dumbledore and done something but I didn't. But the thing is, Harry. When you get past all the things you did wrong, everything you could have done better, there is only one person who made everything necessary. And ultimately, the true blame, the ones guilty of killing Sirius are Tom and Bellatrix. You did the best you knew how. Dumbledore trusted Snape. Bill and I trusted Dumbledore. We all thought this was the best we could do. Sometimes, that isn't enough. So what you have to do is accept all of that and do better next time. Bill's given you half a dozen books on martial arts. You've even managed to read the book on yoga Fleur gave you. But you haven't even asked me for a book on occlumency. Why not?"

Harry shrugged. "Don't know."

"I do."

"You do?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes."

"Annnd?" Harry prodded her.

"You're lazy, Harry. You're use to Hermione doing all the legwork of finding what you need and giving it to you. And Bill and Fleur have continued to enable you by giving you their books. You finish one but you don't ask for the next. You just assume if there's something else they want you to know they'll tell you. Well I won't, Harry. You've got to start taking some responsibility yourself. And I think, considering what I'm putting up with for you every morning, asking you to get off your arse and spend some time working on your occlumency besides what I do with you is the least you can do."

"But I don't know what to do."

"Then research it, Harry!"

Harry scowled and his jaw clinched tightly. It was a few moments before he did anything and when he did, he stood. "I need to take a walk."

"I'll be here," Ginny answered.

It was about a half hour later that Harry came back and sat down next to her. Ginny set the papers she was reading aside. "Feel better?" she asked.

He stared out over the pond and shrugged. "Some… What were you reading?"

"My transfiguration notes from last year. I try to revise at least an hour a day. I've already completed the assignments for the classes I plan to take as long as I get the scores I need to get in them."

"You did the assignments without knowing you'll get in the class?"

Ginny shrugged. "I'm not particularly concerned that I won't get the scores I need. Besides, I like to learn."

Harry shook his head ruefully, and muttered, "How you and Ron can be from the same family."

Ginny laughed. "Oh, Ron's not all bad. He could do well if he wanted. He just needs to find a reason. Imagine what he'd be like without the efforts he makes to please Hermione."

Harry chuckled. "Do you think he'll ever figure it out?"

"I hope so. She won't wait on him forever."

Harry sighed and they fell silent for a minute or so. "So can I look through you're books on occlumency?"

"Of course you can."

Harry turned to her. "And will you tell me about being able to sense things from me, or do I need to read it myself."

Ginny smiled. "I'd be happy to."

Harry grinned. "Thanks, Gin."

Ginny turned to face him, sitting with her legs crossed. Harry mirrored her. "Ok," Ginny said. "So there are many levels to both occlumency and legilimency. The very first steps of occlumency involve a state of calm and limited thought processes. That's what we've been doing, trying to help you learn to calm yourself, still your mind and stop projecting your emotions outward. If you think about it, what Fleur wants you to do in yoga is very much the same thing. She wants you to calm this," Ginny touched his forehead, "so that you can release what is here." She touched her hand to his lower chest."

"Yeah, I get that. I'd even gotten that they were both working from the same basic place."

"Good," Ginny said. "So once we've achieved a point of enabling you to calm yourself easily then we can move on to the next step in occlumency which is finding one thing you want to keep safe and setting it aside from the rest of your mind."

"Setting it aside?"

"A lesson for another day," Ginny said. Harry frowned but she continued on. "Legilimency is much like occlumency, Harry. There are a number of levels and it sometimes takes years to move from one to the next. The most basic level involves no magic at all. It's simply using your eyes to observe the body language of another person. For instance, the way you're leaning forward right now tells me I've got your complete attention. Your face is open, unguarded and I can see an eagerness in your eyes."

"And the sensing?" Harry asked.

"That's the second level of legilimency. Our bodies give off energy, Harry. And if you train yourself to pay attention, you can sense that energy. Have you ever been around someone when they were so angry you thought you could feel it?"

Harry snorted. "Yeah, my aunt and uncle all the time."

"That's just it Harry. You were feeling it. That feeling was the energy in that anger hitting you. Now, have you ever been around someone who was in such a good mood that it put you in a good mood too; even though you were actually kind of upset to begin with?"

Harry thought about it. "Yeah," he said slowly. "A couple times with Hermione I think." Harry suddenly smiled. "And you too."

"Me?"

"Yeah, that time you brought me my Easter egg from your mum. I was pretty upset, but you were just so happy and excited about a little chocolate egg that by the time you left I was in a good mood. And you did it today too!" he exclaimed. "When you told me to come sit after I'd finished throwing rocks in the water. You were just so calm that my anger melted away."

"Yes!" Ginny said excitedly. She leaned forward and hugged him before sitting back and continuing. "That's it exactly. When people give off emotions they have an effect on us. So if you're alone with someone, and you're in a good mood and they're brooding, and you find yourself starting to brood, then it can be a fairly safe bet what their mood is. You have a ton of turmoil in your life, and even if you aren't acting that out, it radiates from you. I know what we've been doing is working because, on the whole, you're calmer. And when I'm massaging your temples and you're concentrating on thinking and feeling nothing but being in that moment, you're turmoil melts away. And it's happening quicker each time we come out here."

Harry considered what she'd told him so far. "So you aren't so much reading my mind as listening to the energy my body radiates."

"Yes. And because I understand how that affects me, I can fairly accurately figure out what your mood is. It isn't easy keeping calm around you sometimes. I can't imagine how Snape does it when he has to appear in front of Tom; the level of hatred and violence that radiates off Tom to him." Ginny shook her head. "Snape may not be a good teacher, but if he can keep his mind to himself with that _thing_ actually performing legilimency on him, it's amazing. His skill level is far beyond what Bill and I are capable of and I can understand why Dumbledore wanted him to teach you."

"The problem is," Harry said, "Snape hates me almost as much as Voldemort does, and now that I understand it, I can see why it was so useless for me to have lessons with him. His hatred of me affected any calm I might have had before we started. It was doomed to fail from the start."

"And that's where Dumbledore was wrong," Ginny said. "Students always learn better when they like and trust their teacher. He should have seen that and made different arrangements for you. But he's so use to being right, I'm not sure he very easily sees when he's wrong."

Harry grinned. "Well if it helps to like and trust your teacher, then I'm going to be an expert occlumens in no time now."

Ginny smiled, but then sobered. "Harry, you do realize that at some point I will have to use my full legilimency skills on you, don't you?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. But you'll tell me first, right?"

"To begin with, but at some point you're going to have to deal with the fact that I'm going to randomly test you. And you're not going to know when I might decide to do it. But that won't be for some time yet. And I'll tell you when you've reached that level and that you should expect me to attack at any time."

Harry thought about what she'd told him. "Ok," he eventually said.

Ginny quirked an eye. "That's it? You don't think maybe you should ask a few more questions?"

Harry shook his head. "No. You were right earlier. I am lazy. I've spent the better part of five years letting Hermione do my thinking for me. Maybe it's time I start doing it myself."

"And what exactly does that mean?"

"Well, I'd like to read some of your books and then ask you questions."

Ginny smiled, leaned forward and hugged him again. "That's my guy," she said.

Harry grinned at her when she sat back and then decided to stretch out completely while leaning back on her elbows. "Actually, I think I might have a question or two if it's ok."

"Let's hear them and I'll decide if I'm going to answer."

"All right, first, is this how Bill taught you; rubbing your head and stuff."

"Some," Ginny answered, "but eventually you need to get to a point where you can do it without my help. It's kind of a teaching aid. It helps you get your mind where you need it so that you know what it feels like. Knowing what the goal is helps you know if you're on the right path."

"So he hasn't had to help you for a long time then?"

"No. Not since the first month or so. And even then the last few weeks were only occasionally when I was having trouble."

"And once you get good at doing it on your own is it bad if someone helps you on occasion?"

Ginny shook her head. "No. Once you're skilled at getting there on your own it can be beneficial to occasionally have someone help you."

"Great," Harry said. "Come here. He shifted so he was leaning against the tree, set the pillow in his lap and patted it."

"Seriously?"

Come here, Gin," Harry answered softly.

Ginny practically leapt forward to hug him again. "Harry, I think I love you." She let him go and settled in-between his legs with her head in his lap."

Harry laughed. "Of course you do. What's not to love? I am practically perfect after all."

Ginny smacked his leg playfully. "Potter if you're practically perfect, then I'm in the dictionary under perfect… Oh Gods that's nice," she moaned when Harry's fingers started to press in gentle circles on her temples. It took him a second to find a rhythm and he had to pause to pull her hair back out of the way. But within ten minutes or so he felt what could only be described as waves of peace radiating from Ginny into him. It struck him that he had felt similar things in Dumbledore's presence when the man seemed nothing but serene in the midst of chaos. Harry remembered vividly how that feeling had chased away the terror of facing down Voldemort in the ministry that spring.

"Gin," he said.

"Hmm?"

"I think this may be as effective at helping me as you actually rubbing my head."

"Good," Ginny said. "You can do it more often then."

"I'll be happy to."

"Harry."

"Yeah?"

"Be quite."

"Sorry." Harry tipped his head back against the tree, focusing on what he could sense coming from Ginny, letting it push him along to a place of peace with her while he gently massaged her temples. He could never have guessed how long he massaged for her, but the next time he was conscious of anything at all it was Ginny stirring in his lap as she began to wake up. He blinked his eyes open and looked around the clearing. The light was starting to fade and he instantly knew they were late getting back.

"Harry! Ginny!" Mr. Weasley called.

"Shit," Harry muttered. "He gently shook Ginny. "Gin."

"Whasat?" she groaned sleepily.

"Come on you need to get up. We're late?"

Ginny blinked her eyes open. "Late?" she asked confused.

"Your dad is looking for us."

"Harry? Ginny," Mr. Weasley called from up on the ledge. "Are you there?" Ginny scrambled up and she and Harry quickly began stuffing their pillows, blankets and other assorted items into her bag. Harry grabbed it, slung it over his shoulder, grabbed her hand and pulled her to the path.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley," Harry answered.

"We're coming, Dad," Ginny called. They emerged on top of the ledge a few seconds later.

"Sorry, Mr. Weasley," Harry said. "We fell asleep."

"We aren't too late are we?" Ginny asked.

He chuckled. "I'm not surprised you fell asleep. I watched what Bill puts the two of you through the other day." He shuddered. "Not me, thank you. And no, you haven't missed dinner. Your mother will have it on the table in ten minutes so you've got just enough time to walk back with your old dad, get cleaned up and get to the table."

"Whew," Harry said. "I'd hate to have missed dinner after she spends all that time making it for us."

Arthur glanced at Harry. "Molly does like how much you appreciate her cooking, Harry. Thank you for allowing her to spoil you like she is."

Harry blushed. "You're welcome, Sir."

"Harry would you mind if I talked to you for just a second?"

Harry glanced over and slowed as Mr. Weasley did. They all came to a stop a second later. "Certainly, Mr. Weasley. Is there something wrong?"

Mr. Weasley hesitated for a second but decided against sending Ginny on ahead. "No, Harry, there's nothing wrong. The truth is I feel I owe you an apology."

Harry frowned. "I'm sorry, Sir. What for?"

"Harry, Son, do you mind if I call you Son?"

"No, Sir."

"Good, good," Mr. Weasley said. "You feel free to call me dad or Arthur or Mr. Weasley, or whatever as you see fit, all right?"

Harry glanced at Ginny. She gave his arm a squeeze. "Erm, I think I'll stick with Sir, or Mr. Weasley for now if that's all right."

"Certainly, Harry. You do what you need. It's just that I, well Molly and I, really do see you as ours. And we want you to know that."

Harry got that same warm feeling in his stomach he had last year when Molly had claimed she was as good as his mother in an argument with Sirius. "Thank you, Sir. That means a lot to me."

"Good, good, glad to hear it. And you're getting on well so far this summer?"

"It's been great, all things considered."

"Yes. I've never said, but I'm terribly sorry about the loss of Sirius. He was a good man and he loved you a ton, Harry. Don't ever forget that."

Harry swallowed, and he was grateful for the way Ginny edged closer to him. "Thank you, Sir," he managed.

"Dad," Ginny prodded, "You said you wanted to apologize to Harry for something?"

"Oh, right," he said. "Thank you Ginny. I did."

"Annnd?" she asked when he paused uncomfortably.

"Harry, the thing is, I feel, well both Molly and I feel, we let you down earlier this year. We caved in to Dumbledore telling us you had to go back to your aunt and uncle's house when we knew it wasn't the best thing for you. It's something we would never have allowed him to do if it had been Ron, or Ginny or any of our other children. And honestly, if Bill had told me what he was doing before he went and did it; I would have tried to talk him out of it. And I ask you, is that any way to stand up for a child you consider to be yours?"

"Erm," Harry said.

"It isn't, Harry. And it took Bill standing up and doing what we should have done to show Molly and I how badly we had failed you. I'm sorry, Son. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive us."

Harry stared blankly at Mister Weasley, not knowing where to even begin. Ginny came to his rescue. "I think you've caught him a bit off guard, Dad," she said softly. She nudged Harry. "But I can tell you, for a fact, that Harry is grateful to both you and mum and he never even imagined that you owed him an apology for anything."

"Thank's, Gin," Harry said. He glanced down at her. "You really are something, you know that?"

"Keep the flattery coming, Potter," she said.

Mr. Weasley watched their interaction with growing interest. It hadn't escaped his notice that they were holding hands, or that Ginny had stopped with them when he'd asked Harry for a moment, nor that she had deliberately edged closer to him when the subject had been of Sirius and she thought he needed to know someone was there for him. Nor had he missed that Harry was carrying her bag. Molly had said the two of them seemed to becoming rather attached. The story of her and Ginny's latest fight and what Ginny had been planning to do the day she turned sixteen had shaken him to his core in a way Percy leaving never had. And that Harry had gotten Ginny to concede to giving Molly another chance had left him dumbfounded; dumbfounded and eternally grateful. Again.

Tonight seemed to show that Ginny was beginning to wield the same kind of influence over Harry. Attached, was certainly one word he might use to describe them, another was reliant. For a second there it had seemed Harry was drowning. All it had taken was a touch from his daughter to bring him back and he wondered exactly how he had missed seeing the change occur. He also wondered how deep it ran, would it fade away when Ron and Hermione became available to Harry once again, or would the two of them find someone had taken their place in their absence. It was a situation that bore watching. Hermione, he felt, would make the adjustment fairly well. But Ron, he was certain, wasn't going to like it when he realized his best mate had a new best friend. Perhaps more worrying was the thought of how Ginny would take it if she found herself tossed aside when the trio was reunited. He gave a mental shrug and cleared his throat. Perhaps a bit of fishing might be in order.

"Yes, well we should probably get moving. Molly is bound to be waiting on us by now."

"Come on, Harry," Ginny said. She tugged on his hand to get him moving towards the house. "I think Mum was making your favorite tonight."

Arthur chuckled as Ginny pulled him along. "So much for fishing," he said to himself and hurried to catch up.

"Harry, mate, where've you been?" Ron asked. And then he noticed Harry and Ginny's joined hands. "And why are you holding Ginny's hand!"

Harry stopped dead. He'd seen Ron giving him funny looks lately; when he'd switched from sitting next to him to sitting next to Ginny, when he'd gotten up from the couch at night to help Ginny up the stairs on legs that could barely stand, when he'd realized Harry had started calling her Gin instead of Ginny. And there had been a myriad of other instances where he or Ginny had done something for the other that had caught Ron's attention, but so far he'd kept his mouth shut.

Arthur was just coming up the steps when Ron's voice came out the door. _This ought to be interesting,_ he thought to himself. He stepped in the door in time to see Harry freeze in place.

He had to give Harry credit; he didn't automatically drop Ginny's hand. Whatever their relationship was, it appeared he was going to stand up for it.

"Yes, pray tell," George said his eyes alight.

"Why are you holding," Fred said, equally eager.

"Our sister's hand?" they said together.

 _Very interesting,_ Arthur thought. Molly had turned a curious eye on Harry and Ginny. Charlie hadn't said a word but was giving Harry a calculating look. Bill had simply sat back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest to watch the show. And Fleur was watching them both with that brilliant smile of hers. While Harry was processing the situation he found himself in, Ginny took an all too predictable pattern that promised to be very direct and possibly detrimental to the slim threads holding her relationship with her mother together. Things had been better in the last week than they had in a long time, but he knew Ginny was far from trusting it yet. He found himself praying his wife would find a way to hold her opinions in as Ginny dealt with her brothers.

"Ronald Weasley," Ginny started.

Harry tugged on Ginny's hand. She stopped mid rant and turned to him. His eyes locked with hers. I've got it," he said quietly.

 _Bravo, Harry._ Arthur cheered. He'd heard stories from Ron and the twins on the change that would come over their seemingly mild mannered friend when he'd decided to take a stand. But he'd never really seen it himself; brief flashes to be sure, but nothing like standing up for whatever relationship he had with his daughter in a kitchen full of her brothers, father and mother.

"What?" she demanded. "You think I can't handle him?"

Harry smirked and shook his head. "Nope, just thought you might appreciate it if I did."

"Oh, well handled, Harry," the twins said. Arthur had to agree as a fair bit of her anger deflated. The two of them ignored the twins as they dealt with how they were going to handle this situation between themselves.

"I would," Ginny said, "but I really want to say this."

Harry shrugged. "Be my guest," he said before turning back to the room at large. "Ron, mate, you've seriously stepped in it this time."

"Me? You're the one holding her hand. I think I want to know why. I'm pretty sure the rest of us do too."

"Leave me out of it," Bill said.

"Ditto," Charlie said. "I don't need to know anything unless he's doing something he shouldn't be with her. Which he better not."

"Oh, we want to know," George said.

"Especially if he's doing things he shouldn't be with her," Fred said.

Bill chuckled. "You idiots have no idea what you just did." Arthur calmly took his seat at the table. Any cool Harry had managed to instill in Ginny was now gone. No matter what, whatever happened next promised to be explosive. According to Molly, Ginny had made it quite clear what she would and wouldn't allow her mother to decide for her anymore. If she wasn't going to put up with her mother trying to run her life, there was no way on the Gods' green earth she was going to let any of her brothers do it. It was difficult reconciling this child who would not be tamed by anyone. But he had to accept that however unintentional, Molly had broken something between her daughter and herself. If she was able to admit that and basically grant Ginny the freedom of being an adult at almost sixteen in order to keep her in the family, then he was going to have to also. He'd already lost a child when Percy had left. And despite having been proved wrong, his wayward son had yet to make any attempt at reconciling. He couldn't bear the thought of losing his only daughter.

"Ronald, Charles, Frederick, George," Ginny said calmly.

 _Calm is always bad,_ Arthur chuckled silently as his sons, but for Bill shifted, suddenly seeming to be uncomfortable.

"I'm going to tell you the same thing I told mother last week. And I want you all to listen very carefully so that your little pea brains get it because if I have to say this again, ever, to one of you I'll string you up by your bits and use you for a piñata—"

Arthur, along with the four boys in question crossed their legs. Even Bill and Harry seemed to shift with the mental image.

"—It is my business what I do or don't do with Harry. If I want to shag him senseless, I will. And the lot of you will keep your damn mouths shut about it. And you will most certainly not question, harass or harm Harry in any way because of it. Am I understood?"

In the dead silence that followed it took Arthur more than a few long moments to realize his mouth was hanging open. He closed it abruptly. That had certainly been a bit more than he'd expected. She'd left them all speechless. Even Bill's mouth had dropped open for a second before he'd recovered. And he'd caught the look his eldest son had given Molly that clearly begged her not to say anything before he'd schooled his features into one of amusement. And poor Harry, he was redder than a tomato as he stared at the back of Ginny's head… But he still hadn't let go of her hand. Whether that was from shock or a conscious decision was yet to be seen.

"I said, am I understood?" Ginny asked.

"Ginevra?" Fleur asked.

"Yes?"

"May I 'ave ze first turn wiz ze bat?"

"Oh no," Ginny said. If there's anything left of their bits after I string them up, I want first whack."

"Second?"

"Ok."

"Tres bien." She elbowed Bill in the ribs.

"Right," he said. "Perfectly clear to me; leave Ginny's boyfriend alone and I get to keep my balls. Can you pass the roast, Dad?" Arthur slid the plate to him. "Thanks." Bill piled his plate with a number of slices before looking up. His brothers were all still staring with open mouths at Ginny. She was in turn glaring an icy death back. "You two gonna sit down? Dinner's getting' cold."

"Harry, is there anything you'd like to add for any of my dimwitted brothers?" Ginny asked.

"Erm," he said. "No, I think you about covered it."

"Good, let's eat." She tugged his hand and he obediently followed her around to their seats. When they reached them she gave him a pointed look and stood there waiting."

"What?" he asked under his breath. Ginny looked at her chair and huffed. "Oh!" he said. "Right. There you go, Love," he said as he pulled her chair out.

Ginny took her seat and Harry helped her scoot it in before taking his. When he sat down he deliberately set his hand on hers on the table in full view. He also deliberately bumped his leg against Mrs Weasley's a number of times, hoping she got the message he wasn't actually sleeping with her daughter. Ginny turned her hand over and entwined their fingers. Together they pointedly looked at George, Fred, Charlie and Ron, daring them to say anything.

Bill chuckled as he lifted his glass. "Potter, you've got bigger stones than a dragon."

"So, Ginny tells me," Harry deadpanned. Molly dropped her fork while Bill choked, spilled half his glass in his lap, and started coughing.

Molly picked her fork up and set it down carefully on the table. "Sorry," she said.

It was everything Arthur could do not to start laughing. Ginny's ability to act had become legendary within the family. But he hadn't thought Harry could pull something like this off. This prank was going to go down in the annals of the family history as the best ever. _Provided it really is a prank_ , he thought. He was fairly certain it was, but Ginny had snowed him once or twice before and sometimes he just couldn't be sure what she was up to.

"Rats, Potter," Bill growled when he'd recovered from his coughing fit. "Till you puke your guts out."

"I look forward to it, Sir."

Fred slowly sat back in his chair, a grin coming on his face. "You're havin' us on," he said confidently. Harry and Ginny focused on him. "You are, aren't you?" he asked, faltering under their combined gaze.

"Roast, Harry?" Ginny asked.

Harry never took his eyes off Fred. "Yes please."

"Five? Six?" Ginny asked.

"Seven please." Ginny carefully poked through the plate of roast beef, picking out what she thought were the seven nicest slices and put them on his plate before she piled five on her own. "Thanks, Love."

"You're welcome, Harry." Ginny handed the plate to him and he passed it down to Molly.

It took Molly a half second before she took it from him. "Thank you, Dear," she said. She also deliberately bumped his leg under the table.

Harry's heart slowed considerably with her gesture. He was fairly certain she had just tried to tell him, she got it and stunt or not, she was sticking by her word to allow Ginny to make the decisions in her life. He smiled and said, "You're welcome Mrs. Weasley." Harry then turned his gaze back on Fred. He eventually faltered and turned away.

"It's gotta be," George said. Harry set his eyes on him. And he and Ginny continued to hold hands while she continued to pile food on his plate with her other. George didn't back down. "Do you honestly think she could have said that to mum and lived?"

"As she did, and she's still alive, the answer is yes," Mrs. Weasley said. Like her husband, she wasn't entirely sure if it was a prank or not; that it kept escalating had her leaning to prank. But whether it was or not her boys needed to be taught a lesson on the overprotective big brother act. That and the fact that she knew if she said even one thing that wasn't supportive to Ginny about what she and Harry were claiming their relationship to be, Ginny would get up and walk out the door. Very likely she would never come back; no matter what Harry said to her. At the very least, she had to remain neutral. Ginny wanted trust. Fine, she'd give it to her. She'd play along and try for the truth later. Perhaps, if she did, she might actually get it.

"Thank you, Harry," Molly added when he passed the gravy along.

"Welcome," he said again.

"There, I think that's everything," Ginny said.

"Come on, Ginny," Ron whined. "You're pranking us right?"

Harry and Ginny glared at him. "Are we?"

"All right now," Arthur said, "prank or not, your mother spent a good part of her day preparing dinner tonight. Let's all eat before it gets cold." Harry let go of Ginny's hand and picked up his fork. She silently followed suit.

"But," Fred said."

"I said drop it, Fred," Arthur answered.

"How can you," George asked.

"When he's… and she's your daughter..." Fred continued but trailed off.

"I said that's enough boys."

Charlie was the first to actually move. He hadn't said a word since Ginny's speech, only watched them both with calculating eyes. He started piling his plate with food and silently slid the various serving dishes along to Ron; never once stopping his observation of them."

Harry was half way through his plate when Ginny snapped. "What?" she demanded.

Charlie shook his head. "Didn't say a word."

"You're watching us."

"So?"

"So do you want me to toss him up on the table now or do you want to come up to my room and watch later?"

 _Oh dear_ , Arthur thought. Apparently this was going to go on until someone cracked.

Charlie shrugged. "Whatever suits you."

"What was the plan tonight, Harry?" Ginny asked. "I can't remember if we were going to try the tree fort or that really nice spot out in the orchard."

Harry didn't bother to look up from his dinner. He didn't know how he'd ended up in this mess, but he was rather enjoying himself. At the same time, he was a bit pissed that her brothers, and especially Ron, would stick their nose in what was his and Ginny's business. She was right, if they wanted to shag each other sensless then they would, and he wasn't going to back down from anyone over it. Not even her mum and dad would stand in his way if they eventually decided what they wanted was each other.

"The stars might be kind of nice, and it should be plenty warm," he said. Fred, George and Ron stopped with their forks halfway to their mouths.

"There you go, Charlie," Ginny said. "Just get your telescope out and you'll get a great show."

"You're full of it," he countered.

"Shows you what you know."

"Come on, Ginny," Fred said. "Do you really expect us to believe you're shagging Harry while Mum and Dad sit there calm as nothing?"

"Why do you think we go to bed so early?"

"Cause you get up at 5:00 every morning with Bill and try to kill yourself by running till you die," George said.

"You should try it," Ginny said. "Angelina might appreciate the increase in your stamina."

"Ginny," Molly said quietly. "Whether you are or aren't sleeping with Harry, don't you think you've made your point?"

Ginny pushed her plate away and stood up. "Oh, I'm pretty sure I've made my point," she said. She turned from surveying her various brothers to her mother. "But unlike you, I'm just not sure everyone's managed to grasp it." She never took her eyes off her mother as she said, "Harry, I'm tired. Please take me to bed." Prank or not, even time seemed to stand still, waiting to see what Harry would do.

Harry stilled and slowly set his fork down, his nerve seriously faltering. Ginny held her hand out. "Harry." Harry's resolve hardened. Consequences be damned, he had more than enough money for both of them if she left or he got kicked out, he wasn't going to back down and leave her hanging now.

He pushed his chair back just as Mrs. Weasley said, "Oh go on, Harry, prank or not, at this point there's no reason not to carry through, don't you think?"

"And what if it isn't?" Ron demanded.

"Then it is none of your business, Ronald, Weasley," Molly snapped.

"Thank you, Mum," Ginny said.

Harry slowly stood and leaned with his hands on the table. "Oh, there's a prank in there somewhere, Ron," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You just need to decide where… But I'm warning you all now. What Ginny and I do together isn't your concern till she complains to one of you about it. And I'll remind you, if you do interfere with us, Ginny is the girl who fought off Voldemort for over six months while he ripped away at her mind. And after she's done with you, then you get me. And I've kicked the bastard's ass five times and counting." He turned from the table, took Ginny's hand and led her from the room.

Charlie picked up his fork and scooped up a massive bite of potatoes and gravy. "You know, Bill, you're wrong about him," he said once he'd swallowed.

"How's that?"

"A male dragons' got nothin' on him. Now a momma dragon protecting her eggs, that's more accurate."

"Are you two seriously going to sit there and joke about this?" Fred asked.

"You would suggest we do what?" Bill asked. "Ginny's a big girl, and if I can admit that, then the rest of you pillocks should be able deal with it. Prank or not, Potter just stood here and told you to stay the hell out of her business because she asked him to. He risked the only real home he's ever known for her. If they are sleeping together, then that's the kind of man I want sleeping with her."

"Amen," Fleur said. "Leave zem alone."

"But," George said.

"They're your balls, Bro," Bill cut him off. "You think she won't do it?"

"What do you mean she asked him to?" Fred asked.

"Just before they sat down she asked him if he wanted to add anything to her little speech. It was code for, 'Please back me on this, whether it's true or not.' And he did. In my book, any man who stands up like that when she asks him to can do anything she wants him too. Including sleep with her."

"Aren't you going to do something about this?" Ron asked pointedly looking at his mother.

Molly stood. "Yes-"

"Thank, God," Ron, Fred and George said together.

"Review our discussion on contraceptive charms and potions with her."

"WHAT!" they cried.

"Boys," Arthur said. "This conversation is over. You leave them alone. If you don't, then you deserve whatever they do to you. And if there's anything left when they get done, you don't want to know what I'm going to do to you."

"How can you say that?" Ron asked.

Fleur stood and began stacking dishes to carry to the sink. "Oh 'onestly. Did you really believe zat? Harry and Ginevra are sleeping wiz each ozer as surely as William and I are not."

Molly fumbled the cup in her hands but managed to catch it before it hit the table and shattered. "William," she said in a low voice, "if you two are sleeping together in my house, I swear you'll be the one strung up by his bits."

"Do not worry, Mrs. Weasley," Fleur said. "We 'ave respected your wiszes in zat matter."

"Fleur," Bill said, "You're not helping."

Fleur set the stack of dishes on the counter and returned to the table for another load. "Please, William, I refuse to 'ide ze trutz of our relationship. And I would remind you et es not I 'ho es delaying us being married."

"Fleur," Bill said with exasperation.

"William Weasley, is what I'm hearing true," Molly demanded.

"Aww hell," he sighed.

"Wait a second," Ron interrupted. "Are you telling me you're going to yell at Bill, who's twenty-seven for sleeping with his girlfriend who's nineteen, but you're not going to do a thing about Ginny and Harry who are all of fifteen?"

Molly turned on him. "I told you what they did was none of your business. Just like what Bill and Fleur do is none of your business. I'll deal with your brother and sister how I see fit and you'll keep your opinion to yourself." Bill grabbed Fleur's wrist and pulled her out the back door. Molly realized he was escaping just before the door shut. "William Weasley, I'm not done with you yet!"

Charlie finally pushed his plate back. "You're slippin', Mum. You use to be able to yell at all of us without missin' a beat."

"You be quite, young man."

"Yes, Mum." The kitchen fell silent for a second before he pushed his chair back and stood up. "Gotta admit, it's never dull." He kissed his mum on the cheek. "Thanks for dinner, mum. It was great. Want help with the clean up?"

"Thank you, Charlie. But I think I need some time to think."

"All right then. I'm on duty in an hour, so I'll be off soon."

"Oh," Molly cried. "Please be careful, Charlie."

"I will, Mum. Love you," he said and strode from the kitchen.

"Well I guess the mayhem is under control here," George said.

"Yep, and we should get going to," Fred agreed.

"Gotta run the day's receipts," George said. They each stopped to hug their mum on their way out the door.

"Be careful now," she said, hugging them each.

"We will. Love you, Mum, Dad. See you in the morning, Bro."

"Yeah, sure," Ron said. He was left alone in the kitchen with his mum and dad a second later. They both waited for him to say something. "What just happened?"

Arthur stood and put his hand on his shoulder. "Honestly, Son, I think your sister and Harry just pulled a prank the twins are never going to top. Come along, we can talk over a game of chess."

"You're seriously not going to do anything about it if they aren't pranking us?"

Arthur sighed and sat down again. "Ron, what exactly could we do if they really are sleeping with each other?"

Ron frowned. "I don't know. Something. Anything?"

"Ronald, do you trust, Harry?" Molly asked.

"Yes!" he said immediately.

"Then trust that he would never deliberately do anything to hurt your sister," Arthur said.

"But she's only fifteen."

Molly sat down in the chair next to him. "Ron, do you remember last week you went to work an hour early one morning?"

"Yes."

"And you know just how poorly Ginny and I get along?"

"Yes."

"Ron, I said something to her that morning I never should have. I can't be certain, but I really think she was finished with me."

"Finished with you?" he asked confused.

"I honestly believe Ginny was ready to go to the ministry and file a petition to declare herself disowned."

Ron's eyes widened. "You can't be serious."

"I am, Ron. Bill says she has the forms all filled out. All she has to do is send them off when she turns sixteen. And what I said, it was about the diary. And I can't say as I'd blame her if she'd never forgiven me. I'm not sure she actually has. But the point is, Harry stopped her. He convinced her to give me another chance, to not let Vol–Voldemort, take her mother from her the way he had from him. It wasn't enough, Ron. She was still going to go. She was protesting and he stopped her with two words."

"How?"

"He asked her to do it _for him_. And she agreed. I am absolutely convinced the only reason I still have a daughter is because of Harry. The point of this is I have no choice but to stay out of this. Whatever is or isn't going on between Ginny and Harry, I have to accept it because if I don't she'll leave. She will leave this house and never set foot in it again. And believe it or not, I think that right now, Harry would go with her."

Ron stared at her for some seconds trying to process what she'd told him. "Do you think it was a prank?"

"I don't know. When I talked to her after Harry had convinced her not to file the petition, she swore they weren't dating."

"And you believe that?"

"I chose to."

"And what about now?"

"I don't know. I hope, that if I ask her calmly in a non accusatory manner that she'll tell me the truth if they are."

"But they were holding hands," he said. "And that whole thing at dinner." He shook his head. "I can see Harry doing that if it was true. I know he would. Once he sets his mind to something there's no stopping him. But for him to do that as a prank, he'd never do it, Mum. He has too much respect for you and dad."

"Ron," Arthur said, "maybe it both isn't and is a prank."

Ron frowned. "What do you mean?"

"They were making a point, Ron," Molly said. "And they took that point as far as they possibly could. Holding hands or sleeping with each other, it's all the same; none of your business."

"If Harry thought he needed to make a point, can you see him going along with Ginny like that?"

"I can," he said slowly. "But why? It's not like they're really even friends."

"Ron," Molly said, "You've not been around much this summer because you're working at the shop. But I know you noticed that Harry switched seats at meals to sit next to her. And I've seen you trying to figure out why he helps her up the stairs at night. Harry and Ginny are spending a lot of time together. You know she's been training with him in the morning. They are most definitely friends. They flirt near constantly. Honestly, I've had trouble believing Harry was Harry myself. And your sister, nothing she does surprises me anymore. She'll say anything to anyone at anytime. Not two weeks ago, she convinced both Harry and Bill that she and Hermione were dating."

"You didn't tell me that," Arthur said.

"She what?" Ron yelped.

Molly giggled. "She did. And then she asked them each to donate sperm so they could have kids. I believe her exact words to Bill were, 'It's not like you'd actually sleep with her or anything. I mean she's mine after all, and I don't really share all that well. You'd just, you know, in a cup or something, and then I'd help Hermione inject it. I think Hermione said something about a turkey baster or something.'."

"Hermione," Ron croaked.

Arthur sat back and chuckled. "And how did that turn out once they figured out she was having them on?"

"They chucked her in the, pond."

"I'll bet that went over well," Arthur said dryly.

"Well there was a huge water war that resulted in Bill nearly drowning Harry, and the next morning Ginny started training with them. That was the morning I said something about the diary to her and Harry stopped her from leaving."

"So you're really not going to do anything about this?"

"Ron," Arthur said, "tell me the truth, is there anyone you would rather see your sister dating?"

"Or sleeping with?" Molly asked.

"Please! You're going to permanently scar me. Heck, I probably already am."

Arthur chuckled. "Just answer the question, Son."

Ron scowled. "No, I guess not. I just get so protective of her. I messed up big time her first year. My first reaction to seeing anyone near her like that is to pummel them."

"Harry or not, you're going to have to get over that, Son."

"Yeah, I know."

"Ron, your sister and Harry may be dating," Molly said. "I don't know. They might even be sleeping together. Now you have absolutely no right to know the details of their relationship. But I do feel it might be fair to ask them for the truth on the point of dating. You just need to do it calmly, without accusing them of anything. And if you want the truth, you might do well to make sure they know that if they are dating, it really is ok with you. Because while they've made it clear they'll do what they want regardless of what you think, you can bet they both want your approval, and more importantly your trust and support."

Ron scuffed his foot on the floor. "You think I should ask them tonight?

"I think you might be wise to wait till breakfast," Molly said.

"But they're both gone by the time I get there."

Molly stood and kissed the top of his head before heading for the sink. "Then maybe you should get up earlier."

"Come on, Son," Arthur said. "Let's have that game."

Ron considered for a second before he heaved himself from his chair. "Yeah, let's," he agreed.

* * *

"Sir," Harry said the next morning when Bill stepped onto the porch. "Ms. Delacour," he added.

"Potter," Bill growled.

"Good morning, Harry." As always, Fleur greeted him with a smile and a kiss on the cheek.

"Squirt/Ginevra," she and Bill said together. Ginny didn't bother lifting her head from Harry's shoulder and did nothing more than grunt in response.

"Get all the kinks worked out last night?" Bill asked. He placed particular emphasis on the word kinks. Harry smirked and pulled Ginny to her feet.

"No, no, no," she pleaded.

"Mostly," Harry said. "I'm hoping to work on them some more this afternoon, Sir."

Ginny visibly brightened. "How about now instead, Harry. Let's just skip this and go back to bed."

"All right," Bill said before Harry could answer. "I don't want to hear any more about what you two get up to."

Fleur gave Bill a playful shove. "You did start et, William," she said. She bounded down the steps and set off down the path. "Keep up." Bill quickly caught her and Harry and Ginny fell in behind.

"I hate her," Ginny muttered under her breath. "And I hate you. And I hate him. And why the hell aren't we shagging in my bed instead of out here doing this shit?" Harry shot her a look. "Sex is suppose to be great exercise," she said pointedly. "It has to be more enjoyable than this."

"Oh," Fleur called back, "trust me Ginevra. Et es botz more enjoyable and great exercise."

"Urgh," Ginny groaned. I didn't need to know that." They all fell silent for a minute before Ginny growled at Harry in a low voice. "Potter, I swear, if you don't rub my head again this afternoon, I'll kill you."

Harry chuckled. "Sounds fair to me."

* * *

Ron paused on his way down the stairs. Harry had just come out of his room and hadn't spotted him. Harry took the two steps from his door to Ginny's and knocked. "Gin?" he asked.

"Coming," Ginny called. The door opened and she stepped out a second later. She promptly wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. Harry returned the hug, lifting her clean off the floor. "How's my guy?" she asked.

 _Ok,_ Ron thought, _that looks like dating to me._

Harry chuckled. "You are in a much better mood after you've had a shower." He set her down and she slipped under his arm as they turned for the stairs. "You look nice by the way."

Ginny turned and beamed at him. "Why thank you, Harry." They moved down the stairs and out of earshot after that so Ron continued on his way to the bathroom. Ten minutes later, he stepped in the kitchen just as his mum was setting plates in front of Harry and Ginny. He stopped dead in his tracks. "Whoa," he said. Harry and Ginny turned as one to look at him. And they both shifted so they were sitting closer. Which was no small feat as Ginny had been leaning on him already.

"Something wrong, Ron?" they asked.

"Erm," Ron said. "No. I, just, well I thought I ate a lot." He sat down at the table across from them. "Morning, Mum."

"Good morning, Dear. Your usual?" she asked.

"Yes, please."

"It'll be just a minute then."

"You're up early this morning," Ginny said. Harry noticed that her juice glass was nearly empty so he picked the jug up and filled it for her. Ginny turned and gave him a smile. "Thank you, Harry."

Harry smiled back. "Welcome," he said, letting his voice drop just a bit."

Ron shrugged. "I wanted to get a bit earlier start this morning; see if it makes the morning easier to tolerate. Fred and George have been all over me lately, complaining that I'm only half awake till noon and they should only have to pay for half an employee because of it."

"Good luck with that," Harry said, "cause I can tell you you're sister is a right troll till she's been up at least two hours."

Molly couldn't stop the quick giggle that escaped her control. _He's certainly willing to wind her up,_ she thought.

Ginny gasped. "Harry, James Potter, I know you did not just call me a troll!" Harry just grinned at her. "Well!" Ginny huffed. "If that's the way you're going to be." She slid her plate down the table and then switched chairs, putting one between them.

Molly set a plate on the table for Ron. "Thanks, Mum," he said. He dug in, keeping a watchful eye on Harry and Ginny.

"You're welcome, Ron. Harry, you seem to have dug yourself a bit of a hole."

Harry grinned. "Naw, she loves me and she knows it." Ron coughed. Harry winked at Ginny.

She huffed and stuck her nose in the air. "Mother, would you please inform Harry I'm not speaking to him?"

"Certainly, Dear," she said and turned to Harry. "Harry, my daughter would like you to…"

Harry waved her off. "Yeah, yeah, I heard. Don't worry I know just how to deal with her."

Ginny turned, crossed her arms and gave him her best glare. "Oh you do, do you?"

"I thought you weren't speaking to me."

"I'm not."

"Seems like you are to me," Ron said.

"You stay out of this," Ginny said.

"Right, sorry. Carry on, Mate."

Harry quirked an eye at him. Ron was obviously trying to smooth things over from last night. "Right then," he said. He pushed the chair between he and Ginny out of the way, reached down and pulled her plate back so it was next to his again.

"Hey!" Ginny said. "Eep!" she squeaked when Harry did the same to her chair and pulled her back to his side. "Harry, James," she cried. "I'm not done being upset with you.

"Oh hush, you're not upset and you know it."

Ginny frowned. "Well no," she said. "But you can't just stop flirting in the middle like that."

"Who say's I did?" Harry took her hand, entwined his fingers with hers and pointedly set their clasped hands on the table. "Besides, you were too far away."

Ginny blinked. "Oh," she managed.

Harry turned to Ron. "Go on then, Ron," he said, all trace of the playfulness his voice carried when flirting with Ginny gone. "You know you want to."

Ron's face took on the proverbial hippogriff in the wandlight expression. Sure, he'd been trying to figure out how to ask them about it, but he certainly hadn't expected Harry to tell him to just do it. He shifted uncomfortably. "Erm, I was rather under the impression it wasn't any of my business."

"Mostly that's true, but I think maybe part of it might be. Probably, it might just be the courteous thing for your best mate to tell you if he had a girlfriend; especially if that girl happened to be your sister."

"But that would be the extent of it," Ginny said. "And it doesn't matter if you like it or not, you keep your mouth shut and leave my boyfriend alone. I'm perfectly capable of keeping him in whatever line I want to."

"You can say that again," Harry said.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Ginny asked.

"It was a compliment," Harry said.

"Oh."

Ron set his fork down. "All right then, are you dating my sister?"

Harry and Ginny exchanged a glance before turning back to him. "No," Ginny said.

"But you're holding hands," Ron said.

"So," Harry said.

"Well, guys and girls don't usually hold hands unless they're dating each other."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Are you accusing me of lying?" he asked.

"I'm not!" Ron protested.

Harry kept on as if Ron hadn't interrupted. "Because I don't think I like that anymore than having you interfere with whatever relationship Ginny and I have. You're my best mate, and I should think, after everything we've been through together, I'd have earned a bit of trust from you."

"You have, Harry!" Ron said with exasperation. "Blimey, you two are on a short fuse. I'm just trying to understand, cause what I see and what you tell me don't exactly mesh."

"Well I think you better figure out how they mesh; cause the truth is Ginny and I occasionally hold hands. We fall asleep down by the stream with one or the other using the other as a pillow. We help each other up the stairs at night because both of us can barely walk because Bill is bloody insane. I think I can safely say Ginny likes spending time with me as much as I do with her."

"I do," Ginny interrupted.

Harry gave her hand a quick squeeze. "So you have all those things, and probably a hundred more that I'll admit in most cases mean the two people are a couple. But in our case, we aren't. We're friends, nothing more."

"Good friends," Ginny said.

"Right," Harry agreed.

Ron stared at the two of them, a frown on his face. He gave his head a shake. "Weird," he muttered and went back to his breakfast.

"That's it?" Ginny asked.

"Yep."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Nope. My new mantra says I don't know and don't care about my sister's love life unless she tells me I should."

"Finally," Ginny sighed. "I was starting to wonder how long I was going to have to keep that act up. Honestly, how any of you bought that Harry and I were having sex."

Ron choked on his juice and started coughing. "Would you bloody stop saying that! I'm going to be scared for life."

Harry frowned at Ginny. "Are you saying you'd never consider it?" he asked, pretending to be affronted. "I'm not attractive enough for you?"

"Stop!" Ron cried and stuck his fingers in his ears.

Ginny grinned evilly. "Don't tempt me, Harry. You're looking very fit lately."

"MUM!"

"Oh, honestly, Ginny," she said. "Must you?" And you young man," she added setting her eyes on Harry. She knew she had little to no chance of getting anywhere with Ginny, but Harry might be a different matter. Harry looked at her, completely innocent. _Or maybe not,_ she thought.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley?"

"Stop tormenting, Ron."

"But, Mum," Ginny whined, "it's so much fun. She stood and wrapped her arms around Harry's neck from behind. She leaned down by his ear, her eyes fixed on Ron. "Harry, do you think you might be interested in being friends with benefits?"

Ron stood, his fingers still in his ears, and left as quickly as he could, chanting, "Not listening," the whole way.

Ginny burst into fits of laughter. "Merlin, Harry, you are too much fun."

Harry chuckled. "You are bloody insane, you know that." He stood and cleared both their dishes to the sink.

"What?" Ginny demanded. "It's not like you didn't go along with the whole thing, you know."

Harry opened his mouth to retort but stopped. "Suppose I did," he said sheepishly.

"See you're insane."

"Well yeah, I've got the worst dark tosser of the last thousand years poking around in my head all the time. Of course I'm nuts. If that didn't give you a clue, the fact that I hang out with you all the time should tip people off."

Ginny took the hand he offered her. "You're going to pay for that, Potter."

Harry pulled her to the door. "Breakfast was wonderful Mrs. Weasley. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Harry."

"Did you hear me, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"You're piling those warnings up, Gin. But I'm not seeing any actual payback yet."

"Just wait, Potter," Ginny said. She let the door shut behind them. Uncharacteristically, they fell silent as they walked to the orchard to start Ginny's chores. Harry set the ladders in place under the cherry tree for both of them. "Thank you," Harry.

"Welcome." He grabbed a basket and climbed up the ladder and Ginny followed suit. Harry had picked only a few cherries when he paused. "Gin."

"Yes?"

"I kind of lied to Ron back there."

Ginny stopped picking to look at him. "When?" she asked with a frown.

"When I said you and I were just friends."

"But we are, Harry."

Harry shook his head. "Maybe for you, but you're my best friend. I just thought it might be good for Ron to figure that out on his own sometime in the future. But I thought you should know."

Ginny blinked her rapidly. "Harry," she said quietly.

"Yes?"

"On the ground. Now." Harry jumped down just as she did. Ginny very deliberately crossed to him, wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest. "Thank you, Harry," she whispered. She squeezed him tight. "I was afraid to say something because I didn't know how you felt, and I was worried it might upset you, I don't know when, but somehow you became my best friend too."

Harry pulled her in as tight as he could. "If I get through this, it's gonna be because of you, Gin."

"Don't say that, Harry. Of course you're going to get through this."

Harry pushed her back and held his hands on her shoulders. "It's true. I don't know how I know it; and I don't know what, but if I come out of this alive, it's gonna be because you did something to help me. And I need you to promise me whatever it is you do won't be to get yourself killed instead. Because I can't stand the thought of spending the next hundred years or so without hearing you laugh."

Tears welled in Ginny's eyes as she looked up at him. "Harry, I—"

"Just promise me you won't sacrifice yourself to save me."

"Can you make the same promise?" she asked.

"No."

"Then don't ask me to."

Harry pressed his lips together tightly. "God damn, fucking Voldemort," he growled, pulling her head back to his chest. "If he so much as looks at you, I swear I'll rip his heart out and feed it to him while it's still beating."

Ginny squeezed him tightly and then stepped back, pulling him along by the hand. "Come on," she said.

"Where are we going?" he asked. "We haven't finished."

"You need to work on your occlumency."

"I thought we were doing that after lunch."

"You're incensed Harry. I can feel rage coming off you in waves. You haven't been this bad since last year when that bitch was making us write lines with her blood quill. It's really good practice to work on it when you most need it; not just when it's easy."

"Oh," Harry said and followed along after her.

* * *

Author's notes:

Like I said, I think this is where I cringed the most when I went back to this after over a year. Harry saying some of the things he did at dinner that night are a massive stretch. Like Ron says, he simply has too much respect for Molly and Arthur. I tried to fix it with him bumping Molly's leg like that, trying to tell her he was just backing Ginny against her brothers and it wasn't really true. Other than that, I loved breakfast the next morning as Harry continually manages to shut Ginny up. She doesn't quite know what to do with someone as capable of returning fire as him.

Sorcerer's Muse


	7. Chapter 7

Author's notes:

Remember, I moved Ginny's birthday to September 12th. She's nearly a year older than canon Ginny, only a few months younger than Harry, but still a year behind Harry at school.

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter VII**

 **Priceless**

* * *

Over the next two weeks, Harry and Ginny continued to train with Bill and Fleur whose appearances were becoming more and more frequent. After breakfast, Harry would help Ginny with her various chores and then they would slip into either his room or hers, more often than not hers, as the mood struck them, where they would read the various books Bill and Fleur were giving them. That or something off of Ginny's bookshelf dealing with occlumency. Next they'd have lunch before going back to their rooms where they would revise their various school subjects for an hour before they would head outside to sit under the tree by Ginny's stream where they would help each other with their occlumency and more often than not nap till it was time to head back for dinner. After dinner entertainment usually took the form of them against Ron in a game of chess. Together they actually managed to give him a run for his money. They'd almost beat him the previous night and were hoping to perform well enough tonight to actually win. And they were just on their way to the family room after dinner and helping Mrs. Weasley with the cleanup when she stopped them.

"Hold up you two, I needed to ask you something."

The two teens exchanged a glance and turned to her. "What is it, Mrs. Weasley?" Harry asked.

Molly folded her towel and set it on the counter. "I wanted to talk to you about your birthdays."

Harry cocked his head back. Was it really nearing his birthday? "What about them, Mum?" Ginny asked.

"Well, Harry's is in just a bit more than a week."

"It is?" Harry exclaimed.

Molly stared at him, dumbfounded. Growing up, her children had started counting the days to their birthday six months or more ahead of the date. "Well yes, Harry," she said, today is the 22nd, and if I'm not mistaken, your birthday is the 31st. And Ginny's is coming quickly too."

"Erm," Harry said. "Is it really the 22th?"

Molly laughed. "Yes it is, Dear. You must be having a really good summer to have forgotten your birthday was coming."

Harry shrugged. "I've never really bothered remembering it. My aunt and uncle never did, and I just don't think about it anymore."

Molly pursed her lips distastefully. "Well," she said as if she'd suddenly decided something big, "you can bet we'll remember it this year."

"You really don't…

"Hush, Harry," Molly said.

"Shut up, Harry," Ginny said at the same time. "You'll have a party and you'll enjoy it, or I'll give you one of my round house kicks to the head," she went on.

"Ginny, I don't think that will be necessary," Molly said.

"It might be," she said darkly. "You listen to me, Harry Potter. I've been looking forward to giving you my present for weeks now, and I won't have you moping about on your birthday ruining it for me."

Harry grabbed her hand so she would quit poking him in the chest. "All right already, Weasley," he said with exasperation. "I won't mope about on my birthday and you and your mum can have as big a party as you want. Just quit poking me."

Ginny scowled at him. "Let go of my hand."

"Make me," Harry challenged.

"Now stop it you two," Molly said. "Honestly, I've never seen such incessant flirting in all my days and if you get going, I'll never ask you what I need to."

Ginny made a face at Harry. "Whatever, Weasley," he said and turned his attention back to Mrs. Weasley, but when he let go of Ginny's hand she took it back possessively. "Thought you didn't want to hold my hand," he teased.

"Shut it, Potter. Mum wants to ask us something."

Molly gave a long-suffering sigh. "Honestly," she said before beginning. "What I wanted to ask is if you minded sharing a party between you, Hermione and Ginny?"

Harry shrugged. "Fine with me." He had a moment of panic when he realized he didn't know when Ginny's birthday was and he didn't have a present for her. "When is Ginny's birthday?"

"September 12, Harry," Ginny answered. "The same day as Hermione."

 _Whew,_ Harry exclaimed silently, _still got a bit of time_. Out loud, he said, "Really? I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"Ginny squeezed his hand. "It's ok, Harry. And now you do. And no, Mum, I'm happy to share with them. "I imagine it's a bit difficult getting things put together right now and us being behind the Fidelius."

"Yes it is," Molly agreed. "You're sure you don't mind?"

"Mum, if I wait till my actual birthday, I won't get a party at all. Of course it's fine with me."

"Not at all Mrs. Weasley," Harry added. "Does that mean Hermione is coming soon?"

"She's coming on the 3rd, Harry," Ginny said. "It's the earliest she was able to talk her parents into letting her come. She told me in her last letter."

"And she's staying till we go back to school?"

"Yes, she is," Molly said.

"Good," Harry said. "I kind of miss her telling me what to do." He winked at Mrs. Weasley. "Not that I haven't found someone else bossy to pick up the slack for her."

Ginny gave Harry's hand a yank, spinning him to face her. "Excuse me!"

"Wait!" Molly cut them off. "Before you get going is the Saturday after she gets here ok for the party? I know it's quite early for you and Hermione, Dear, but Harry is already waiting and he really shouldn't have to."

"Fine by me," Harry said.

"Bossy?" Ginny demanded, still glaring at Harry.

Harry rolled his eyes and pulled her to the door. "She agrees too, Mrs. Weasley," he called.

Ginny stopped and stomped her foot. "Harry, James Potter, did you just say I'm as bossy as Hermione? I don't think I appreciate that."

"Who said I was talking about you?"

"You implied it!"

"No, you assumed it." Harry winked at Mrs. Weasley. She simply shook her head as he pulled her daughter into the sitting room. "For all you know I was talking about Bill or Fleur," he said.

"What were you saying about us, Harry?" Fleur asked from where she was cuddled against Bill's side on the couch. Ginny's face lit up gleefully.

Harry turned white. "You wouldn't," he pleaded.

Ginny grinned wickedly at him. "Harry was just telling mum that he kind of missed Hermione bossing him around but that you two had made up for it."

"He did, did he?" Bill asked.

"Yep," Ginny said brightly. "He said Fleur could even get the same bossy tone."

Harry turned on Ginny. "Oh, now you're going to pay for that!" Before Ginny knew what he was doing, he'd grabbed her about the waist and slung her over his shoulder. "I think someone needs to go swimming," he said and started for the door.

"Harry!" Ginny cried. "WHAT? NO! Harry, James Potter if you throw me in the pond again I swear you'll spend every morning for the rest of your life waking up with a new curse."

"Shaking in my boots, Gin," Harry teased.

"Harry, No!" She grabbed the doorframe as she went by and held on. Harry reached back and pried her fingers off. "Harry, No. I don't want to get all wet. Bill, stop him!" she cried when Harry kept going.

The rest of the Weasley household sat in stunned silence. "Told you a male dragon, didn't measure up," Charlie said.

"He wouldn't," George said.

"Would he?" Fred asked.

"He'd have to be bloody insane," Ron said. "Course the way he winds her up already, who could tell."

Bill patted Fleur's thigh. She sat up and he stood, pulling her with him. "This ought to be interesting," he said heading for the door. There was a mad scramble behind him as everyone rushed to see if Harry really would throw Ginny in the pond. They caught up to them just as Harry managed to drag Ginny out to the end of the dock. She'd managed to fight her way off his shoulder but Harry had her wrists trapped in one hand and was pushing her along.

"Harry, no!"

"Think he'll really do it?" Charlie asked. He, Bill, Fleur, Fred, George and Ron all stood where the dock met the shore.

"No doubt in my mind," Bill said.

"HARRY!" Ginny cried. He'd managed to push her right to the edge so that she was actually leaning out over the water and the only thing keeping her from falling was the grip he had on her wrist. "DON"T! "I SWEAR IF YOU LET GO I'LL FEED YOU POLYJUICE WITH ESSENCE OF SNAPE!"

"Gin," Harry said seriously.

"What?" she asked, catching the change in his voice.

"If you'd asked nicely, I might not have let go." As he said it, he did just that and stepped back.

For a second, Ginny seemed suspended in space above the water. "You're dead," she said just before she dropped out of sight. Harry stepped to the edge of dock and looked down into the black water. He just managed to jump out of her reach when she burst through the surface and made a grab at his ankle.

"Nice try Weasley," he taunted as she slipped back into the water.

"It's actually kind of nice," she said. "You should come in."

Harry snorted. "Sure it is, Gin. There's no way I'm getting in there."

"Bill," Fred said.

"Yeah?"

"We can't help but think," George said,

"That this requires a bit of retribution for young Harry," Fred said.

"And we still owe him for the whole shagging our sister thing," George said.

"Actually, it was Ginevra who said she was zzagging, Harry," Fleur pointed out.

"Eh," Fred and George said together. "Semantics."

"So how about it Bill?" Fred went on.

"Can we toss him in?" George asked.

Bill considered for half a second before he took out his wand and flicked it at Fred, George and Ron. "You can try," he said.

"What was that?" Fred asked. He touched his head gingerly. It felt like it was wrapped in padding.

"Sparing charms," Bill said.

"Padding?" George asked.

"Don't want anyone to get hurt," Bill said.

"Why would anyone get hurt?" Ron asked. "We're just gonna toss him in."

"Like I said, you can try. Potter!" Bill shouted.

Harry turned around and Ginny craned her neck out of the water to see what Bill wanted. He, Charlie and Fleur were standing just on the shore. Ron, Fred and George were advancing down the dock. "Oh, you're gonna get it now," Ginny teased.

"Yes, Sir?" Harry asked. He kept a wary eye on the three brothers advancing on him.

"You might wanna put on some sparing charms."

"Shit," he muttered. He quickly triggered the action on his wand and cast the sparing charms on himself.

"Once you're in the water you're done," Bill said.

"Yes, Sir."

"Kick his ass boys," Bill said.

"Tree against one, William?" Fleur said. "'e 'as only been training for six weeks."

"He's picking it like he's been at it for six months." Bill said. It's like he was born to learn this stuff. Trust me, he'll be fine."

"We owe you, Potter," George growled.

"Been havin' nightmares of you and our sister for the last two weeks now," Fred said.

"And you can't go tossing her over your shoulder like that," Ron said.

"Time you learned a bit of respect," Fred said.

Harry beckoned them forward. "Bring it on Weasleys."

"Don't hurt them too badly, Harry," Ginny said.

"Define badly."

"Time to go swimming, Potter," Ron said and rushed forward.

Harry simply sidestepped, caught Ron around the neck as he went by and held on for the few seconds it took him to pass out. Harry turned and dumped him unceremoniously in the pond. The water woke him almost instantly and Ginny swam over to help him regain his bearings.

Harry smirked at Fred and George who, typically for them, had let someone else make the first charge as they measured their opponent. "Next," he taunted.

"I'm thinking a bit more cautious approach," Fred said.

"Simultaneous," George added.

"You have no idea what you're dealing with," Harry growled. He stepped forward, bringing the attack to them. A round house to the head sent George plunging into the pond. Harry dropped down and spun back the other direction with his other leg and swept Fred's legs out from under him. He crashed onto the dock and Harry was on him. One good punch to the nose and even with the Padding Charm Fred was seeing stars. Harry then put his hands under him and heaved. Fred splashed into the pond a second later.

"Bloody hell," Ron said quietly.

"What the fuck was that?" George demanded. He closed his eyes tightly and shook his head

Fred came up from under water holding his nose. "Ok, that hurt."

"Bravo, Harry!" Fleur shouted.

Charlie hadn't moved from where he stood with his massive arms crossed next to Bill the entire time. "That was rather embarrassing," he observed dryly.

"Thank you, Ms. Delacour," Harry shouted before he turned back to the four Weasley's in the water.

"My turn?" Charlie said.

"Fancy a go do you?" Bill asked.

"There's nothing like a good brawl."

"No wrestling. You've got at least five stone on him. It wouldn't even make you breathe hard."

So striking blows only?"

"For you."

"You know how hard I hit, Bro," Charlie warned.

"Try not to let him embarrass you," Bill said.

Charlie snorted, cracked his knuckles and stepped onto the dock. "Oi, Potter," he called.

Harry turned back to the shore and the good mood he was in disappeared. He'd not been concerned with Ron in the least; not with the training he'd had so far, even if it was rudimentary to date. The twins had been slightly worrisome because they worked as a team so well and were very calculating. He'd overcome that by taking the attack to them, striking before they even knew what they were going to do. And none of them were all that much bigger than he was. They were taller sure, but unlike Bill they hadn't filled out their frames yet. And they were all soft; just as he'd been six weeks ago.

Charlie though, he was different. He wasn't as tall as the rest of his brothers, though at 5'-11" he still carried a few inches on Harry. But while Harry tipped the scales at 150 lbs, Charlie pushed 250. And not an ounce of it was fat. Charlie was just built short and heavy. His bones were big and he had naturally bulging muscle to filling out that heavy frame. Add to that the fact that he lifted weights. Charlie's muscles rippled whenever he moved his arms. He was hard; like iron. And his job was physically demanding. He might not be in shape like Bill was and Harry was getting to be, but he wasn't going to be done in by two minutes of sparing with Harry. It took everything Harry had to control Bill's wrists when he was working on different holds with him. It hadn't taken Charlie more than a minute to pin Bill's arm to the table when they'd arm wrestled last week.

"Big isn't always better, Potter," Bill encouraged. "You've only gotta catch him once."

"William, 'e es not using ze zzarm," Fleur said worriedly.

"Trust me," Bill said, "Charlie doesn't need any padding.

Harry straightened his back and assumed a ready stance. "Bout time you lot put out a real challenge," he taunted with as much bravado as he could muster.

He's a street fighter, Potter," Bill warned. "That means he's got no style you can key off of. Street fighters are the worst cause you never know what they might do next."

"Helpful as always, Sir," Harry said.

Charlie laughed. "I gotta hand it to you, Potter. You've got nerve. Anyone with the stones to stand in my mum's kitchen and tell the lot of us he'll shag my sister if he bloody well wants to and anyone that's got a problem with it is welcome to step outside, well, let's just say that's the kind of man I want my sister shagging."

"So no hard feelings then," Harry said.

"Nope."

"Good, cause after I kick your ass, she was talkin' about the orchard again."

Charlie laughed and lunged at him. Harry smashed his hand down on Charlie's wrist to break free. And then he tried to cover that his wrist was throbbing. Hitting Charlie was like hitting a steel post. He had the mild satisfaction of seeing Charlie shake his hand out. _At least I know he felt that too,_ Harry thought.

"I know you two ain't datin' she told me herself the next day."

"Yeah, well why don't you ask Ron about the friends with benefits arrangement Ginny and I have," Harry said. Charlie narrowed his eyes.

"He's just trying to distract you, Charlie," Ron said. "Get him already and restore some of our wounded pride, will ya."

"How exactly does it restore your pride if Charlie kicks his arse? Ginny asked.

"He's a Weasley," Fred said.

"We stick together," George agreed.

"Whimps," Ginny sniffed. She turned back to the scene on the dock. "Come on, Harry, make me proud."

Harry snorted. "I think the only thing I'm gonna do is make myself dead."

Charlie suddenly straightened. "All right, Potter, let's see what you've got. Free shot." He tapped his jaw. "Right here."

"Yeah right," Harry said. "Do I look stupid?"

"He's not kidding, Harry," Fred said.

"Took Bill's best shot without going down," George said.

"And didn't have no charms on when he did it," Ron said.

"Nobody's dropped me yet, Potter," Charlie said. "Go on, right here."

Harry eyed him warily. "Sir?" he asked.

"It's true, Potter," Bill said. "You put him in the water and you can have tomorrow off."

"Oh!" Ginny squealed. "Do it, Harry. Kick his ass."

"Come on, Potter," Charlie egged him on. "One shot. Drop me and you stay dry."

"You're just gonna stand there and let me have a go; not gonna do a thing?"

"Potter, this passes for entertainment in the preserves. We got girls with stronger jaws than that lot." He waved his hand at his three brothers in the pond

"Oi now," Fred protested.

"Oh shut up," Ginny said. "I've got a stronger jaw than you lot."

"Bill laughed. "If that weren't true it'd be a whole lot funnier."

Come on, Potter," Charlie said.

It came like a crash of lightening. Harry's roundhouse slammed into the side of Charlie's head and turned him half way round. His knees buckled but he took a staggering two steps, caught his balance and braced his hands on his knees. After a second, Charlie started to chuckle. He shook his head a few times and as he turned around to face Harry again he straightened. "That was almost as good as…"

What it was almost as good as no one heard, because just as he turned Harry delivered another roundhouse to the other side of his head. This time Charlie was spun in a complete circle. His knees buckled and he went down on his hands and knees where he weaved unsteadily.

"He's gonna have a headache tomorrow," Bill remarked.

"'e es an idiot," Fleur huffed. "People die from getting 'it like zat."

"I don't believe it," Fred and George said together.

"Finish him, Potter."

Harry didn't need Bill's order and was already stepping forward when it came. Unfortunately for him Charlie wasn't done. He waited till Harry was within reach, grabbed his leg, yanked and twisted. Harry went down, rolling with the twist. He landed on his stomach, pushed to his knees and delivered a kick straight back into Charlie's face. Charlie saw it coming and ducked his head down so Harry ended up kicking him in the top of the head. He still hadn't let go of Harry's leg and he sat back to his knees, dragging Harry with him as he did.

"He's in trouble now," Fred said.

"Not gonna be pretty," George agreed.

Instead of fighting him, Harry let Charlie pull him back. He pushed himself up, placing his free foot flat on the ground and used it to drive back into Charlie. As he moved, he drove an elbow into his stomach.

Ron flinched. "Ouch."

It actually turned out to be a mistake on Harry's part because Charlie's abs, like the rest of his body, were like iron. He brushed off the elbow as if it had been a mosquito, let go of Harry's leg, grabbed him by the shoulder, spun him around and delivered a right cross that sent Harry sprawling to the edge of the dock where he lay on his stomach unmoving.

"HARRY!" Ginny cried. She started to him but Bill stopped her.

"Leave him alone, Ginevra," he ordered. Ginny stopped, clearly torn on wanting to check on Harry but knowing the vows she had made to do, without question, what Bill or Fleur told her when they were training. And that had clearly been his command voice. She didn't dare disobey him; he might refuse to let her join Harry anymore and she couldn't bear the thought of letting him go forward without her.

"William, es zis necessary?" Fleur asked.

"You know the answer to that," Bill said. "Come on, Potter," he shouted. "That wasn't any worse than when Ginny laid you out yesterday. Get up and finish him."

"You laid him out?" Fred asked.

"Only because he didn't cast the Sparing Charm right," Ginny said.

"You were sparing with him?" George cried.

"Of course I was you idiot. What do you think we're doing; playing house?"

"But how?" Ron asked. "He nearly laid Charlie out."

"So. Harry's not any bigger than me than Charlie is bigger than Harry."

"But you're a—"

"Finish that sentence, Fred," Ginny warned, "and I'll knock every one of your teeth out."

Harry blindly began moving, trying to clear his head. He didn't care what Bill said; hard as Ginny had kicked him, Charlie hit like a hippogriff kicked. His head felt like a cave troll was trapped inside, beating on his skull with his club to get out. He slowly pushed to his knees and crawled away from Charlie. He didn't want to let him get his hands on him again. He turned to face Charlie, and staggered to his feet weaving unsteadily.

Charlie stood as Harry did. "I said one shot, Potter," he growled.

"At least let Ginevra 'elp 'im," Fleur said. "Et will be fair zen, non?"

"There's no such thing as a fair fight, Fleur," Bill said. "And no, it wouldn't be fair at all because Charlie will never hit Ginny; not in a million years."

"There's no such thing as a fair fight, Weasley," Harry said at the same moment as Bill. "It's not my fault you were dumb enough to think I wouldn't hit you again if you didn't go down."

"Why don't you take that charm off and we'll see how hard your head really is."

Harry triggered the release on his wrist holster. He flicked his wand. "Done," he said reholstering it.

"Non!" Fleur cried. She started forward. "Zat es enough, Charles."

Bill grabbed her arm. "Fleur."

She turned on him, the full anger of her veela nature unleashed. "You will unhand me, William. Now."

Bill let her go. "Don't," he said, "interfere."

She continued to glare at him for another second. "You and I will 'ave words later."

"Fine."

Harry beckoned Charlie forward. "I'm waiting, Weasley." Charlie was only too happy to oblige. There was a flurry of hands as Harry fended him off, and then they were both staggering back, Harry holding his ribs from the punch he'd taken to the solar plexus, Charlie hobbling on one leg from the kick Harry had delivered to his knee."

"Had enough, Weasley?" Harry gasped.

"Just getting' started, Potter." Charlie tested his leg and inched forward. Harry edged to his left and stepped in again. Once more there was a flurry of action as they both ducked various blows. Harry stepped inside another cross from Charlie and as his punch went behind Harry's head Harry slammed his elbow into Charlie's temple. It spun him around and as he came back to face Harry, the full momentum of a spinning backhand smashed into Harry's jaw in a crushing blow that sent him sprawling to the dock. He crashed down on his stomach, black spots forming in his vision.

Fred cringed. "That's gonna leave a mark."

"Think he'll get up?" George asked.

"He's a bloody idiot if he does," Ron said.

"What? Far as I can tell, he's doing pretty well," Fred said. Ginny pushed through the water to the dock and pulled herself up to see Harry.

"I told you to leave him alone, Ginevra," Bill warned.

"Go bugger yourself," Ginny retorted. She heaved herself out of the water and knelt by Harry's head, leaning down by his face.

"Well spoken, Ginevra," Fleur said. Bill shot her a look and stepped on the dock, moving to stand behind Charlie so he could see better." Harry pulled his arm up and placed his hand flat on the dock. He managed to pick his head up an inch and dragged one leg up, trying to get to his knees.

"Harry?" Ginny asked.

"Mmmfine," he said.

Charlie leaned with his hands on his knees watching Harry. His head was swimming, and staying on his feet was accomplished by force of will alone. He could hardly believe Harry was even conscious after that shot. It had been a shot in the dark, spinning backhand, that he'd picked up in one of the dozens of brawls he'd been in over the years. But it had been solid; as good a shot as any he'd delivered and not many people had stayed on their feet after taking his best shot. None had managed to take two of them. "Just stay down, Potter," he said.

"Get up, Potter," Bill said.

"Harry," Ginny said so only he could hear, "you've already earned his respect."

"S'not his I want," Harry said through gritted teeth. He pushed himself to his knees.

"Harry," Ginny pleaded. "You have, Bill's, mine, Fleur's. Whose do you want?"

Harry sat back on his knees and looked her in the eyes. "Mine, Gin. If I can get up I will. I'd have thought you knew that by now."

A tear slipped down her cheek. "I do, Harry. I've known it since the moment you pulled me from the Chamber."

"Then you know I have to get up."

"Please try not to get hit again."

Harry gave her a rueful smile. "I'm trying. He's like fucking iron. I think I broke both my feet on his head. He put one foot on the ground and pushed himself to his feet.

"Bugger, me," Charlie muttered. He shook his head and straightened.

"Is that all you got, Chuckie?" Harry taunted.

"Bring it, Potter," Charlie growled. Harry stepped forward with a series of kicks that Charlie either ducked, avoided or took in the upper arms or his thighs. Each one was going to leave a massive bruise the next day, but he ignored them all as he waited for an opening. When it came, he took his shot only to have Harry spin and catch him with a round house in his exposed ribs. He stepped back holding his arm tightly against his side. He couldn't be sure but it felt like Harry had separated his ribs with the shot.

Harry threw caution to the wind, pressed his advantage and it was his undoing. Charlie caught him by the back of the head and forced it down. In seconds Harry was trapped in a Guillotine Choke. Charlie applied the pressure with his massive arms and Harry was out in seconds. Charlie lowered him to the dock and set him on his back. "That is one tough son of a bitch," he said.

"Get out of my way," Fleur hissed. She elbowed her way past Charlie causing him to gasp and clutch at his side. Ginny met her as they knelt on either side of Harry. "Is he ok?" she asked nervously.

"Oui," Fleur said. "'e is just blacked out."

"I woke up a lot quicker," Ron said.

"You were dumped in the pond," Bill said. "And you hadn't just taken two of Charlie's best shots. He's coming around now."

Harry blinked his eyes open. "Harry?" Ginny asked.

He gave her a confused look. "Gin? What happened?"

"He caught you in a Guillotine Choke," Ginny answered. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, eventually."

"Bloody hell," Fred said. "She even knows the names of this shit."

"Of course I do you idiot. I've only had Harry put it on me a dozen times."

"Bill," Charlie said, "I don't like the sound of that."

Bill shook his head as he caught the look on Ginny's face when she looked up at Charlie. "Charlie, Mate, it's been nice knowing you," he said.

Ginny stood up and moved to a clear area of the dock. "Charles Gideon Weasley," she said quietly. "Come here."

Fred winced. "Oh, middle name."

"You're dead," George said.

"Now, Squirt," Charlie said. "I'm just worried. I don't like what I'm hearing about you doing this training with Bill."

Ginny pointed at the dock. "Come. Here."

"I'll get the shovels," Ron said.

"Anyone got ideas on an epitaph?" George asked.

"Here lies Charlie. He pissed his sister off," Ron offered.

"Oh shut up," Charlie muttered. He stepped through them and stood where Ginny had pointed on the dock. "Ginners," he began.

"Eh," she stopped him.

"But."

"Not a word, Charles." Charlie fell silent and awaited whatever retribution she decided on

"Still with the given name," Fred said.

"How exactly does she do that?" George asked. "She's not even half his size."

"No idea," Fred said.

"I want _my_ free shot," Ginny said.

"But of course," Fleur said with approval. "Very appropriate, Ginevra."

"Thank you, Ms. Delacour."

Charlie blinked. "Your free shot?" he asked.

"Yes. Just like you gave Harry. I want mine."

"You've got to be joking."

"Afraid I'll be the first to drop you?"

Charlie snorted but stopped himself from saying anything demeaning. "Sure, Squirt. Let's see what you've got."

"Brilliant," Ginny said. She stepped back and set her feet. "Ready?"

"Anyti…" Charlie's side exploded in searing pain with the impact of her roundhouse kick to the same spot Harry had hit earlier. A telltale crack indicated she'd broken at least one of his ribs. Charlie went down on his knees hard. He leaned forward on one hand while he held his side with the other.

Ginny leaned down by his ear. "Don't you ever try to decide what is or isn't appropriate for me again.

"K," he gasped.

"I knew you'd see things my way." Before he knew what was happening, Ginny slipped her arm around his neck in the same Guillotine Choke he'd put Harry out with and stood up. Charlie flailed for a second but his arms went limp before his overwhelming strength could force her to break the hold. When he went unconscious a few seconds later, he was much too heavy for her to lower slowly and she let him crash down unceremoniously on his face."

Ginny looked at the rest of her brothers. "Anyone else want to tell me they don't like me training with Harry?"

"Nope," Ron, Fred and George said together.

"Good. I'm tired of telling you lot to mind your own business. She walked back over and held her hand out to Harry. "Come on, Potter. It's past our bedtime. And somehow I don't think the fact that you got your arse kicked is going to convince my favorite brother to give us the day off."

Harry took her hand and let her help him to his feet. He took a moment to get his balance and she slipped under his arm, supporting him as he weaved slightly. "Like I'd want to miss your smiling face in the morning," he teased.

"Watch it or I'll leave you to make your way to bed by yourself."

"Ok, I surrender. Merlin, my head hurts." The two of them set off, bantering back and forth till they were out of sight and earshot.

Ron shuddered. "Does she have to talk like they're going to bed together?"

"She only does it cause it bugs you so much," Bill said.

"Well it's bloody damn effective," Fred said.

George shuddered. "I'll say."

Bill nudged Charlie with his toe. "Hey, Dumbass, you awake yet?"

Charlie groaned and rolled over. He hissed painfully and clamped a hand over his ribs. "What happened?"

"Ginny choked you out."

Charlie glowered up at Bill standing over him. "She wasn't enough to handle without you teachin' her that shit?"

"You want Fleur to heal those ribs."

"I am not 'ealing anyzing for 'im tonight," Fleur snapped. "'e can suffer till ze morning. Per'aps it will 'elp 'is pea brain examine why 'e needed to fight wiz a boy 'ho es 'alf 'is size. And you," she turned on Bill. "If you even dare to dream about me tonight, et will be a week before you put your 'ands on me." She whirled and stormed off.

"You know," Fred said as he watched her go. "I was thinking Potter's a right pain in the arse."

"How do you figure?" Charlie asked.

Fred held his hand up and ticked his points off on his fingers. "One, he started this by tossing Ginny in the pond. Two, he then tossed us in the pond. Three, he then proceeded to go toe to toe with you for longer than anyone I've ever seen but for Bill. Four, the fact that he's put choke holds on Ginny is the reason you opened you mouth and Ginny proceeded to bust your ribs and then choke you out. Five, you've finally been dropped with one shot by our five foot nothing, not even a hundred pounds little sister—"

"That doesn't count," Charlie protested.

"—Six, Bill is now cut off. And seven, he's got our sister running around tormenting us with the idea that he's shaggin' her. And she's such a bloody damn good actress that half the time we don't know if she's full of shit or not, and instead of being terrified of us killing him, he stands up and says, 'I'll bloody well shag her if I want to. What are you going to do about it?' If that isn't a right pain in the arse, I don't know what is."

Bill nodded as he considered it. "Fits right in, don't he?"

"Why exactly did you tear the wards down at his aunt and uncle's and bring him here again?" George asked.

Bill set off for the house. "Cause he's family."

* * *

True to Ginny's prediction of the night before, she and Harry found themselves slogging through another training session with Bill and Fleur. They'd survived the conditioning portion for the day and were now sparing with each other as they worked on the various strikes, blocks and holds Bill had taught them so far.

Harry stepped back from Ginny's attempted roundhouse to the head. The particular strike seemed to be her specialty. There was just something about her body that allowed her to generate massive amounts of force as she whipped her leg around and Harry had become very conscious of not letting her hit him with it; sure she may have hit Charlie in the same place he had last night, but he still went down. And she had broken three of his ribs. Further heightening his awareness of that particular move was the fact that he had two very black eyes from where Charlie had hit him the previous night. They were tender and he had no wish to get hit there again right now. Harry caught her spinning into his left cross as she came back around from the missed kick.

"Argh!" she cried. She spun half around and sank to her knees.

Harry cringed. He really hated sparing with her. Even with all the padding charms they used it was fairly often that one of them would get knocked loopy; 90% of the time it was her. And if it made him a chauvinistic pig, he simply didn't care. He didn't like hitting a girl. "Gin?" he asked when she didn't stand right away.

"Fuck this," Ginny muttered angrily. She tripped the release on her wand holster and canceled the sparing charms. "I'm done."

"No you're not," Bill said.

Ginny stood up. "I don't mean I'm done for the day, dear brother. I mean I quit." She stalked over to where she'd discarded her heavy jumper and snatched it up.

"Quit?" Bill asked.

"Yes, quit. I've had it with getting out of bed before the rooster's even up. I'm tired of feeling like I've been clubbed by a gurg and having to apply anti swelling charms a half dozen times a day so my face doesn't look like my boyfriend beat me."

"I'm sorry, Gin," Harry mumbled. Ginny gave him a scathing look. "What?" he asked confused.

"Fine," Bill said. "Quit."

"I'm done teaching him occlumency too."

"What?" Harry yelped. "Why? I'm sorry I hit you. You know that. You know I hate sparing with you." Ginny continued to glare at him. "Why are you angry with me?"

Ginny put her hands on her hips. "Oh, I don't know, Harry," she said. "Maybe it has something to do with you not respecting me."

"What are you talking about?" Harry demanded. "You're bloody amazing. I've been in awe of you since you tried to stand up and fight on a broken leg at the ministry this spring. And you kept going out here even though you threw up every day for the first week. How can you possibly say I don't respect you?"

"Then why won't you hit me?"

Harry's mouth flapped. "Sorry?" he asked after a second.

"You heard me, Harry. If you have so much respect for me why won't you hit me?"

"Ginevra," Fleur tried to interrupt.

Bill put his hand on her arm. "Let them figure it out."

"But…"

"You had to learn the hard way too," he said quietly.

"Couldn't you at least try to talk to 'er?"

"She's reckless, Fleur. She continually leaves herself open to counter strikes. Harry might not be willing to make her pay for that but someone else will. She needs to learn respect for the power people bigger than her can generate. It will make her a better fighter." Fleur pursed her lips. "You wouldn't be half the fighter you are today if you hadn't learned the hard way," Bill pressed.

"At least make her use zee Sparing Charms. Harry broke 'is foot on Charlie's 'ead. 'E will crush 'er skull if 'e 'its 'er zat 'ard wizout et."

While Bill and Fleur were settling things between them, Ginny had continued to lay into Harry. "No," he said angrily. "Absolutely not. There is no way in hell I'm going to hit you as hard as I hit Charlie."

"Fine," Ginny snapped. "If you don't have enough respect for me to drop me when I make a mistake, then I quit." She waited a few seconds to see if Harry would say anything before she turned away from him. "Thanks for nothing, Harry," she muttered.

Harry cast about for something that might keep her there. He hated sparing with her but he'd grown to rely on her presence when he felt like he was going to die from some new torture Bill had introduced to the training regime. "Can't you talk some sense into her?" he pleaded with Bill.

"Sorry. I have to agree with her."

Ginny turned around and stuck her chin out. "Thank you, Sir," she said in a sneering tone directed at Harry.

Harry gaped at Bill and then turned desperately to Fleur. "You can't agree with this. I broke my foot on his head last night."

"Oui. You did. But Ginevra will be using zee charms."

"Will not," Ginny said.

"Will," Bill said. "Your skull is nowhere near as thick as Charlie's. You want him to hit you, fine. But you're using the charms."

"Fine," Ginny snapped still glaring at Harry. "What's it going to be, Potter?"

"Gin, please," Harry said.

"Don't," Ginny interrupted, "call me that."

Harry stiffened. "You're really going to throw our friendship away because I won't hit you?" he asked quietly.

"Our friendship is based on us being equals, Harry. I don't hold anything back when I hit you. I expect you to show me the same respect and not hold back when you hit me."

"Ginny, I don't want to hurt you."

"Would you hold back against Ron?"

"No. But I would against Hermione. Merlin, Ginny, I hold back against Fleur and she's been doing this for over a year. You've been out here four weeks. And if that makes me a chauvinistic bastard, I don't care. "

"Well I care, Harry. I'm out here busting my arse every day for you, Harry; not for Bill or Fleur or anyone else or even myself. I'm out here for you. And if you can't respect me enough to treat me as your equal, then I quit."

Harry closed his eyes and sighed. "Will you give me one more chance?"

"Yes."

"Then put your charms on and let's go again."

"No, Harry. Just like Charlie." She tapped her chin. "Free shot."

"I can't," Harry said. "I can't just line you up and level you. If you want my best shot, then spar with me."

"Potter," Bill said. "Just do it so we can move on already."

Harry's shoulders slumped. "Yes, Sir."

"I'm waiting, Harry," Ginny said. Harry triggered the release for his wand, stepped close to Ginny and proceeded to examine her sparing charms. "I'm perfectly capable of casting them, Harry."

Harry twisted his wand around. "You want to talk about respect," he said glaring at her. "Did you honestly think I'd let you get away with purposely miscasting them?"

Ginny's hard exterior cracked slightly at his rebuke. "Sorry," she said.

"You should be."

Ginny raised her chin stubbornly. "Are you going to do it or not?"

Harry backed away from her and set his feet. "One thing, Ginevra."

"What?"

"I'm far from your equal." Ginny barely had a chance to register what he'd said before she crumpled like the proverbial wet noodle. Harry stood looking down at her as she stared dazedly up into space. "Is she ok?" he asked after Fleur had performed a quick wand scan.

"Oui. She es just dazed. I zink you would have cracked 'er skull wizout ze charms zough."

"But she's not hurt?"

"Non."

"Good," Harry said. He turned and headed for the Burrow.

"We're not done yet, Potter," Bill said.

Harry didn't turn around and he didn't stop walking away. "When she can remember her name again, tell her not to talk to me till after dinner."

"Let 'im go William," Fleur said.

Bill scowled but let Harry go. "It's nearly time to quit anyway," he agreed. "He squatted down and brushed Ginny's hair back from her face. "That's gonna be one hell of a shiner."

Fleur patted Ginny's cheek. "Ginevra?" Ginny blinked her eyes and tried to focus on her.

"You ok, Sprite?" Bill asked.

She nodded slowly. "I think so."

"Go slow, Ginevra," Fleur said.

Ginny frowned and began a slow inventory of her body. "What happened?"

"Harry hit you," Bill said. "Remember, you were pissed at him because he was holding back and wouldn't hit you like he hit Charlie."

"Oh, right," Ginny said as it came back to her.

"Come on, let's sit up," Bill said. He helped her sit up and steadied her while she got her balance. "So have we learned our lesson then?"

Ginny frowned. "Lesson?"

"Ginny, if you'd really watched that fight last night, you would have seen just how hard Harry worked to avoid getting hit. He had half a dozen different chances to hit Charlie but passed them up because he knew he'd get leveled if he took them. He waited to catch him when it looked like Charlie wouldn't be able to hit him back. It didn't always work because Charlie is massively strong, has a head harder than a minotaur, and is a damn skilled fighter for someone who has never had any formal training. Harry recognized the danger Charlie presented. He respected the damage one shot from his opponent could do to him. You're a tiny thing, Sprite. You need to respect the power and strength difference between you and Harry. That doesn't mean you can't kick his arse. It just means you can't trade blows with him. And while it's perfectly fine for you to hit him with everything you have, it's also perfectly fine for him to hold back. You shouldn't need him to knock you into next week to learn not to leave yourself open to him leveling you. The sign of a true student is one who can learn from a mistake that results in something as little as this." Bill reached out and gently tapped her where Harry had kicked her.

Ginny flinched with even that gentle touch of his fingers. "Why didn't you tell me that before?"

Bill smirked. "Cause just like Fleur, you had to learn the hard way."

"I fought wiz 'im for a week before 'e finally 'it me," Fleur said.

"Oh," Ginny said. She looked around. "Where's Harry?"

"He's a bit pissed at you, Sprite."

"He's mad at me? Why, I'm the one who got hit?"

"Ginny, Harry cares enough about you to stand up in front of your whole family and tell them to stay out of whatever his relationship with you is. He was willing to risk the only family he's ever known for no other reason than the fact that you wanted to make a point. To me that says he thinks you're pretty much priceless. You just threatened to take that away from him. You put a price on your friendship. If it were me, I'd be pissed at you too. I was pissed at Fleur for a week."

"Oui," Fleur agreed. "As you were today, I was a fool twice also."

"Ultimatums are a dangerous weapon, Sprite," Bill said. "And they have no place in a friendship."

Ginny's lip trembled. "I've lost him, haven't I?" she whispered fearfully.

"He doesn't want you to talk to him till after dinner," Bill said.

Fleur put her hand on Ginny's shoulder. "Harry is a very forgiving person, Ginevra. Look at 'ow badly Ron treated 'im for most of ze tournament. But as soon as 'e apologized, Harry forgave 'im everyzing. I do not zink zat you 'ave lost 'im. But you would be unwise to treat 'im so poorly again."

The rest of the day was an exercise in agony for Ginny as she forced herself to wait out the time Harry had told her to stay away from him. Not that she could have found him if she'd tried. It was like he'd vanished from the Burrow altogether. He wasn't at breakfast. He didn't knock on her door when it was time to do her chores. Lunch was eaten alone with her mother in dead silence; though it was plainly evident that she knew something had happened between the two of them. He didn't show up for their after lunch revising hour. And he didn't go down to the stream and her secret spot with her for the afternoon. The intensity of the loss of his presence in her day took her by surprise. It was utterly gut wrenching. Worse even than when she'd first realized Ron had new friends after he'd come home from his first year at Hogwart's and there wasn't room for her to join in. By the time she made her way back to he Burrow for dinner, she was quite late and she'd fairly well convinced herself he was never going to forgive her. She wearily climbed the steps and steeled herself against finding him missing from the dinner table before she opened the door. Just as she reached for the handle though the door opened and Harry stepped out.

"Oh!" she exclaimed.

Harry closed the door behind him. And she found herself caught in those damn eyes of his again. There was just so much power and emotion in them it didn't matter that she no longer had a crush on him. Those eyes would always own part of her soul. After a second, he quietly said, "Hey."

Ginny swallowed, still trapped by his eyes. "Hey."

Harry continued to study her and it was as if she was a cobra, mesmerized by the soft sounds of the snake charmers instrument. "Did you go to the stream?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes." His gaze shifted to stare out into the woods. With his eyes off of her she managed to focus enough to say something involving more than one syllable. "I missed you," she ventured.

"Oh."

Ginny started to reach for him but thought better of it. "Harry, I'm sorry I threatened you that way. I've been miserable since Bill and Fleur pointed out what I did to you. Please, please tell me we're still friends."

It didn't take him more than a half second to accept her apology. The dried tear tracks on her face had been plainly evident when he'd studied her before. He turned back to her, closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her. "Come here," he said softly. Ginny sagged against him. Harry rested his chin on her head. "Best friends, Ginny" he said with vehemence.

Ginny crushed him in her arms. "Gin, Harry. Please call me Gin."

Harry tightened his arms around her. "Best friends, Gin. Best friends." Ginny pulled her arms up and tucked them between them, giving herself over completely to his protective and possessive embrace. Harry eventually pushed her back to see her face again. He gently wiped a new tear from her cheek and cautiously touched the swollen spot near her eye. "Does it hurt?"

Ginny shrugged. "Not so much."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't you dare, it's the least of what I deserved."

"I didn't have to hit you that hard. I'm sorry."

"You still held back, didn't you?"

They locked eyes with her question and he knew he couldn't lie to her; not now, not ever. "Yes," he said and held his breath.

Ginny pulled him tight again. "Thank you."

Harry let loose the breath he was holding. With it went any of the lingering poison in his thoughts from the day. "I missed you, Gin. Merlin did I miss you today. Please don't do anything like that again, because I don't think I'd survive walking away from you.

"I swear, Harry. I felt like I was dying when I realized how much I had hurt you. I'm sorry; so very sorry."

Harry moved his hand to the back of her head and held her tightly in the hollow of his neck. "Hush, you're forgiven."

"Thank you," she whispered.

* * *

Later that night, Harry followed Fleur up the stairs a few minutes after she had gone to the bathroom. He timed it almost perfectly so that she was coming out just as he stepped into the hallway. "Could I talk to you?" he asked. "Privately?"

"Certainly," she said. She smiled and winked at him. "My place or yours?"

Harry coloured but didn't falter under her flirting. Gently teasing him was her way. And if they were sparing she made no pretenses about using her veela nature to distract him if she could. And she encouraged Ginny to do the same. In her mind, being a woman was a powerful weapon to use against a man if need be. Harry could hardly disagree because more than one occasion had found him flat on his back after he'd allowed her to fluster him.

"Yours, if you don't mind. We're less likely to be interrupted." Harry knew he'd made a mistake even as he was saying it.

She slipped past him, trailing her finger on his arm. "You little devil you?" she purred. She held the door for him. "Coming?"

Harry shook himself. _So I'm not entirely immune to her,_ he thought. _I wouldn't be male if I was._ "Knock it off," he growled as he stepped past her. She laughed and closed the door.

"Wat can I 'elp my favorite student wiz?" she asked.

"I thought Bill was your favorite student."

Fleur smiled devilishly at him. "'E is my lover; not a student."

Harry flushed. "You're bloody evil; you know that, don't you? And what about Ginny? You seem to like her plenty."

"I am veela," she said. "And Ginevra I love because William values 'er above anyzing else. You, I love because I do."

"I think he values you pretty highly too. At least as much as he does her."

Fleur smiled. "Per'aps. But zis es not why you sought a secret rendezvous wiz moi, non?"

Harry coloured again. "I need help with Ginny's birthday present."

Fleur's face brightened. "Conspiracy," she gushed gleefully. "I love conspiracy. Wat es et you need?"

Harry reached behind his back and pulled out the catalog he'd swiped from Ginny's desk the day before. His face went completely red as he held it out. "I want to get her something from here. The workout stuff," he added hastily with her arched eye.

"See anyzing else you liked in zere?" she teased as she took it.

Harry met her gaze without flinching. "Plenty, but nothing I'd buy for her."

Fleur flipped the catalogue open. "You are positive?" she asked playfully. "Ginevra might like to receive some of zese zings." She paused on a page of a particularly scantily clad model. "Per'aps zis?"

"She'd kill me," Harry answered.

Fleur laughed. "Well it might finally puzh 'er brotzers to do so."

"Can we please just look at the workout stuff?" Harry asked. "She had it open to that section when I swiped it off her desk. I know she was wants some because she's spends the whole time we're training muttering about your perfect outfits while she has noting but ratty old tee-shirts and cut off sweatpants. But I don't know what size to get her. I thought you might be able to help."

"So zat is where it went," Fleur said. "I zought William had stolen et to find somezing for moi." Fleur flipped through the catalogue to the appropriate section.

"I kind of figured she'd gotten from you."

"Do you know if zere is somezing en particular she wanted?"

Harry shook his head. "No. But I think any of it. She seems to really like the pants you wear."

"Yes, ze yoga pants are very nice. She tossed the catalogue on her desk. "I know wat we will do."

"You do?"

"Oui. You will tell me 'ow much you want to spend and I will buy 'er a gift card. We will rip ze appropriate pages from ze catalogue and wrap zem togetzer. Zen she will be able to order what she wants."

Harry grinned. "And if we rip the pages out, then she doesn't get the wrong idea, her brothers don't finally decide to just kill me and Mrs. Weasley doesn't have a heart attack."

Fleur laughed. "See, zere es a reason you are my favorite student. You zink of all zee, 'ow you say, angles. Non?"

"I've been trying to calm that down," Harry said. "If nothing else for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's sake. We made our point. But Ron, Fred and George just keep opening it up."

"Zey are trying to get back at you."

"Yeah, I know. But they can't think they can actually embarrass us with that, and it's making it that much tougher for Mrs. Weasley to let Ginny be. It's starting to piss me off."

Fleur took his arm and pulled him to the door. "We could always tell zem you are sleeping wiz moi. Zat would get zem to let ze subject of you and Ginevra die."

Harry shuddered. "Not a chance in hell. Bill would kill me in a second and then raise me from the dead so he could do it again."

Fleur patted his hand. "I would not let 'im kill you."

"You'll forgive me if I say I'd rather not chance it."

"Only if you are as zhoughtful wiz my birzday gift as you are wiz Ginevra's."

"I'll see what I can do."

They parted as they entered the family room again with Harry moving to sit on the floor next to Ginny while Fleur went to sit with Bill. "Where'd you go, Mate?" Ron asked.

"Harry wanted to show me somezing," Fleur answered.

Harry groaned. "Thanks a lot, Fleur."

"Tossed our sister over for Bill's girlfriend now have you," Fred asked.

"Don't think I like the sound of that," George said.

"Mate, we let you live when you said you were sleeping with her, but if you've just been playing with my sister, we're gonna have to hurt you."

"Get in line boy's, Bill added."

"I hate you," Harry said to Fleur. She winked and blew him a kiss. Ginny scowled at her.

Fred laughed. "I sense a cat fight coming."

"So what is it, Potter?" Charlie asked. "Is Ginny old news now or not?"

Harry stood and held his hand out to Ginny. "Where are we going?" she asked. She took his hand and he pulled her to her feet.

"I figured I'd show you Fleur can't hold a candle to you."

"Harry, Potter," Fleur cried. "I am 'urt."

Harry pulled Ginny to the kitchen, pausing in the door. "Sorry Ms. Delacour," he said. "Everyone comes in second eventually." He let the door close on the ensuing silence.

Charlie chuckled once the door had closed. "Put you in your place, didn't he?"

Fleur huffed and crossed her arms. "Oh zzut up, Charles."

Charlie laughed outright. "You better watch out, Bro. He's got both your girls wrapped around his finger." Bill glared at him. "Ohhh, Scary," Charlie taunted.

"Arsehole."

"That the best you got? He's got both you're girls and all you can come up with is arsehole?"

"At least I didn't get dropped by my, not even a hundred pounds soaking wet, little sister."

"That didn't count! Potter'd already busted my ribs."

"Votes?" Bill asked.

"Dropped," Ron, Fred and George agreed.

"Going somewhere, Dears?" Molly asked.

"Just for a walk, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said.

"All right. Stay close please."

"Mother," Ginny sighed, "the whole place is under the Fidelius."

"Let it go, Gin," Harry said, pulling her along. "She's just worried about us."

"But she doesn't need to," Ginny protested.

"Well she does anyway, and you should be happy for it. I promise I'll bring her back safe, Mrs. Weasely."

"I want you back safe as well, Harry."

"That's her job," Harry said. "We'll be back soon." Harry let the door close behind them.

Ginny stopped and pulled her hand from his. "Harry Potter, I don't appreciate the way you're treating me right now."

Harry stopped, tipped his head back and sighed. "Gin, Please. We've already had one fight today. Is it really worth fighting with me, or her, over what she asked? I've had a miserable day, and I'd really just like to get away from the loony bin for a while; preferably with you."

Ginny stared at his back for a second before she stepped next to him and slipped her hand into his again. "I'd like that too," she said when he turned to her.

"Good." He tugged on her hand. "Let's go."


	8. Chapter 8

Author's notes:

So we're visiting France for a while, and Fluer's sometimes perfect English is because she's actually speaking French. Hopefully, you'll get it. Just thought I'd mention it.

Also, sorry for the late update. I was traveling with very spotty internet access. Which explains why I haven't responded to any of your reviews from last week. Thank you all for your kind words and comments.

Last, it appears I've picked up a troll. The wonderful thing about unsigned reviews, it gives me the great pleasure of the having the last word by deleting your thoughts. Have a great day. :)

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter VIII**

 **Dirty, Rotten, Piss-Headed, Over-Inflated Toads**

* * *

The morning before Hermione's impending arrival at he Burrow dawned for Harry and Ginny the same as it had since she had joined him in his training; up at quarter to five. This morning they were waiting in the kitchen instead of on the porch. The skies outside were leaden with heavy wet clouds and a steady, wind-lashed rain rattled the windows in their panes. It had started the night before as they went to bed and hadn't stopped since. Ginny leaned heavily against Harry and stared out the window morosely.

"Have I mentioned that I hate you?"

"Only every morning for the past five weeks," Harry answered.

"But I really hate you today."

"I'm not all that fond of you either you know."

"I knew you were only keeping me around for the sex." The door opened and Fleur preceded Bill into the kitchen. Ginny jumped up and wrapped her arms around him. "How's my favorite brother?" she gushed.

Bill laughed. "Not letting you out of training." A thud from the porch brought his attention to the door.

Ginny let him go and slumped into her chair again. "I hate you."

"What's wrong? Harry asked, noting the way Bill continued to watch the door.

"Nothing," he said. He downed his glass of 'calories' and sat down at the table. Fleur sat down next to him. "You two up for something a bit different?" he asked.

Harry and Ginny exchanged a look. "Does it involve going back to bed?" Harry asked hopefully.

Ginny turned pleading eyes on her brother. "Please, Bill. I swear I won't complain a single word tomorrow if you let me go back to bed today."

Bill glanced at Fleur. "Zey are in strong enough now. Et won't 'urt and et will make ze next six weeks easier."

Harry frowned. "Six weeks? We only have three left before school starts."

Bill grinned, set a coin on the table and touched his finger to it. Fleur did too. "Coming?" he asked.

"Do I get out of training in the rain today?" Ginny asked.

"Oui."

Ginny quickly put her finger on the coin. "Deal."

Harry shrugged and followed suit. "It can't be any worse than running in the rain." He'd barely finished speaking when he found himself spinning through space, the familiar tug of a portkey pulling at his tummy. The ride seemed to last longer than normal and there were a lot of flashing lights, like stars whipping past that he didn't recall happening on previous portkey rides. Nearly a full minute later he and Ginny crashed to a landing in an inglorious heap. Bill, and of course Fleur, managed the landing with easy grace.

"Sorry," Ginny said. She climbed to her feet and helped Harry up.

"S'ok," he said absently as he checked out his surroundings. They were in a small living room that held two couches, a fireplace and a bookcase packed to the gills. The living room was separated from the kitchen by a dining area with a table big enough for four. And there were five curtained doorways leading out of the main living area; two off of the kitchen, two off the living room and one off the dining area.

"Right then," Bill said. "Welcome home." He pointed at the door in the dining area. "That's outside. The one on the left of the kitchen is the loo. The other is mine and Fleur's room. Potter, you're on the left side of the fireplace. Sprite, you're on the right. And for Merlin's sake if you decide you're sharing cast a Silencing Charm. I'm going back to bed." With that short tour he disappeared behind the curtain leading to his and Fleur's room."

"I will join you soon," Fleur called.

"Fine with me, but I really am going back to bed."

"Spoil sport."

"Urgh," Ginny moaned. "Stop before you make me sick. That's my brother you know."

"And you zink et es any less irritating for 'im when you and Harry start up?"

"But it's not true, and the point is to drive him spar."

"Can I ask where we are?" Harry interrupted.

Fleur's face lit up. "France," she said blissfully.

"France!" Harry and Ginny cried.

"Oui," Fleur said. "To be exact, we are in France and et es June 6th 1997."

It took a moment for what Fleur had said to actually register with Harry and Ginny. When it did, Ginny sat down heavily on the couch. "Merlin," she said quietly.

"Erm, Fleur," Harry said. "Did you say it was June 6th 1997?"

"Oui."

"As in the same June 6th we got home from Hogwarts this year?"

"Oui. You are so smart, Harry," she teased.

"Bugger," Harry said. He sat down next to Ginny.

"No, no, no," she began muttering over and over.

Harry frowned at her. "What's wrong with you?"

"That dirty, rotten, piss-headed, over-inflated, toad."

"I hope you're not talking about me," Harry said.

Ginny turned to him with wildly desperate eyes. "Harry, don't you get it?"

"Get what?"

"Harrrry, we traveled back in time! We have to repeat the last two months."

Harry shrugged. "So. Just means we get two more months of hanging out together before we have to go back to school."

"Harrrryyy, he's going to make us repeat all of the training. We have to do it all again!"

Harry frowned as he considered her point. Eventually he shrugged. "Still better than going back to school."

Ginny stared at him incredulously. "You're insane."

Harry smirked. "Come on, it'll be fun. We're the only ones here. You're brothers aren't around to harass you. You're mum isn't here to tell you what you can and can't do; and you've got me. What could be better? Heck, Bill even said we could share a room if we wanted." Ginny's mouth dropped open. Harry winked. "Do you suppose he got us a bed big enough for two?"

Ginny's mouth snapped shut. France, two months of extra training, none of that mattered as much as not letting Harry get the upper hand in their war of words wits and one-up-manship. "Well there's only one way to find out, isn't there?" she challenged.

"After you," Harry said.

Ginny stood and held her hand out. "Coming?"

"Sleep well," Fleur called from near the curtain to her and Bill's room.

"We will," Harry and Ginny said together. Harry gamely took Ginny's hand.

"Shall we?"

"Anytime, Potter," Ginny said in a husky voice.

Harry snorted. "Ok, you win."

"You're damn right I do."

"Oh, one ozer zing," Fleur said. Harry and Ginny turned. "You will find everyzing you need en your rooms. Harry, I am sorry but William and I 'ad already purzased Ginevra's zings when you asked for 'elp wiz 'er birzday present. Per'aps you might like to zink of somezing else for 'er." She disappeared behind the curtain before Harry could say anything.

"My birthday present?" Ginny asked when he turned to her.

Harry frowned. "Well, considering neither of us packed, and we're gonna be here for the next two months, I think it means you have some new clothes. But I won't know for sure till we look."

"Mine or yours?" Ginny asked.

Harry grinned. "From the way you're bouncing on your toes right now I'm guessing the correct answer to that question is, yours."

Ginny squealed, threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "I knew you loved me," she gushed. Harry laughed but before he could return her hug she had let him go and darted into her room. Harry followed and leaned in the doorway with his arms crossed. Ginny stood in the middle of the room, her mouth hanging open. Harry had to sympathize with her. Her bed was indeed a four-poster big enough to share, and it was covered in bags; a number of them were the distinctive pink color and carried the VS script of the catalogue he had swiped from her desk a few weeks back. Fleur had even hung one or two of the matching exercise outfits from the posts of her bed.

"I really hope she shopped somewhere else for me," Harry said dryly. "Especially for underwear."

Ginny darted to the bed and grabbed one of the bags. She rooted through it but quickly set it aside for another. "Ohhh," she squealed upon poking through the contents.

"Something you like?"

Ginny slammed the bag closed and flushed a furious red. "Harry, go away."

Harry roared with laughter. "I take it she did buy your knickers there."

Ginny turned even redder. "Out." She ordered, pointing at the door.

Harry continued to laugh. "What, I get invited to sleep in your bed but I don't get to see your knickers?"

Ginny grabbed one of the new trainers sitting on her bed and cocked her arm. "I don't miss, Harry," she warned.

Harry held his hands up. "I'm going. I'm going." He backed out of the room. "But I win that round," he said just before he disappeared. Harry laughed all the way to his room. It was a mirror image of Ginny's, though it appeared all his things had been packed away instead of left in packaging on the bed. Harry went to the dresser and gave the drawers a cursory perusing but quickly decided he was much more interested in his bed. "Somehow I think I better sleep while I can," he muttered as he lay down.

His next conscious memory was of Ginny running and jumping onto his bed and being bounced so high he nearly fell out of it. "Good afternoon, sleepyhead," she teased brightly

Harry groaned. "Go away," he said and let his arm flop over his eyes.

Ginny bounced on all fours on the bed jostling Harry about. "Come on, Harry. Fleur made lunch, and Bill is going to show us where the edge of the Fidelius is, and we're in this bay on the ocean and it's just amazing, Harry. This place is absolutely beautiful."

Harry didn't move his arm from covering his eyes. He in fact made no effort to move anything but his mouth. "You do realize he's probably going to make us swim till we drown, don't you?"

"Harry!" Harry didn't bother to even respond this time. "Are you getting up or not?"

"Nope." As he felt her climb off the bed Harry actually dared to think she might leave him alone. Curiosity getting the better of him he lifted his arm to see if she really had left.

Ginny walloped him with a pillow. "Time to get up!" she cried. She wound up too wallop him again but he blocked the attack and ripped the pillow from her grasp.

"You are in so much trouble," he growled. He made a grab for her.

"Eep!" Ginny squeaked and darted from the room.

Harry charged after her. "Come back here you! I think it's time someone went swimming again."

Ginny ducked behind Fleur. "Help."

Harry laughed. "Do you honestly think she'll protect you from me?"

Fleur crossed her arms and blocked Harry from reaching Ginny. "Harry Potter if you put 'er en ze ocean en anyzing but one of 'er new swimsuits, you will get no massage for ze entire time we are 'ere."

Ginny stuck her tongue out at him. "Neaner, neaner, neaner."

Bill laughed. "Potter, one thing you need to learn is to never underestimate the power of the sisterhood.

"Yeah," Ginny added. She slipped her arm around Fleur's waist, pulling her tight while the older woman put an arm around her shoulder.

"Do not mess wiz us, Harry," Fleur warned. "You will be very sorry."

Harry sat down at one of the kitchen chairs. "Watch your back, little girl. Big sister won't be around to save you all the time."

Bill sat down across from him. "You do like to live dangerously, don't you, Potter?"

Harry smirked. "Getting in hot water is half the fun."

Bill grinned back. "And getting out is the other."

"Yes, Sir."

Fleur let Ginny go, set a number of platters on the table, leaned over to kiss Harry's cheek and then pecked Bill on the lips. "Why I put up wiz eitzer of you, I do not understand." She sat down and smiled happily. "Finally et es just us," she sighed. Ginny sat down in the last remaining chair.

Harry frowned, reached around the corner of the table and pulled Ginny's chair so it was along his side. "To far away," he said by way of explanation when she gave him her, 'What the hell?' look.

Fleur pursed her lips and then scooted around the table to Bill's side. "You are right, Harry. Zat es much better." She picked a bunch of grapes from the serving platter and set them on Bill's plate before picking a bunch for herself.

"Exactly what are you going to do when we go back to school and I have to go to different classes than you, Harry?" Ginny asked.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe I'll repeat 5th year. You want grapes?"

"Yes please." Harry picked out a bunch for her and then himself and he and Fleur continued to load both their plates and Bill's and Ginny's with the various meats, cheeses fruits and breads.

"Thanks, Love," Bill said when Fleur decided she was satisfied with what she'd given him. He kissed her cheek and tucked in.

"Harry," Ginny said. "You're emotional range is definitely well beyond a mere tablespoon now. Thank you." She leaned over and gave him a quick hug before tucking in herself.

"Thanks, Gin." They were all about half way through their lunch when Bill spoke.

"So after lunch, I'll show you where the edge of the ward is."

Harry and Ginny nodded. "All right," they said together.

"I know you understand how important it is to stay inside the ward," he went on. "But I can't stress this enough. Time travel is dangerous. And the further back you go the more dangerous it becomes. The smallest things you do can have huge affects on the future we came from."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Think about this, Potter. I've seen pictures of your dad. You're a near perfect copy. The biggest difference is your eyes."

"Ok," Harry said.

"So let's imagine you go back to before you were born. Maybe even before your parents started dating or even met. And let's say you somehow run into your mum. Now, she doesn't know who you are, but something about you sparks something in her. You are, after all, a replica of the man she eventually falls in love with and marries. And somehow, it puts some kind of block in her that instead of marrying your father she spends her life pinning after the son she is now never going to have. You've just prevented yourself from even being born and a whole timeline, an entire reality no longer exists. You can't travel back to the future you came from because it's gone." Bill snapped his fingers to emphasize his point.

"Somezing as simple as saying 'ello to someone zat you did not en zee reality you came from can create 'uge differences en zee future you know."

"It is absolutely imperative that you stay inside the Fidelius while we're here. In our timeline I hid this place just before I hid the Burrow. Fleur and I stocked it with everything we needed two months ago, or yesterday, whichever way you want to look at it. It's been deserted ever since. Even though my and Fleur's past selves know that our future selves are going to be here, we don't want to run into them. Our goal is to cause as little impact as humanly possible. We won't even do something like fish for dinner because you could end up catching something that in the reality we came from was caught and eaten by someone else two days later when it had moved on from the bay."

Harry frowned. "So right now my old self is…"

"Telling the man across the street from his aunt and uncle's house that he's dead," Bill supplied.

"And what about me?" Ginny asked.

"You're about twenty hours from a huge fight with mum over working in the twins' shop for the summer."

"And what if the past doesn't happen exactly the same as it did for us?" Harry asked.

"It will," Bill said. "As long as we don't do something to change it, it's already been written."

"But," Ginny said.

"Trust me, Sprite. I've been studying this for years. As long as we stay inside the Fidelius we'll be fine."

"So what's the point?" Harry asked. "I mean there has to be a reason to take this risk, right? There has to be something you want to change about the past."

"Not zee past, Harry," Fleur said. "Zee future."

"I don't get it," Ginny said.

"I need more time, Sprite," Bill said. "We're not going to change anything about our past selves. We're going to change our future selves. Two months from now it will be August 2nd again. The four of us will portkey from here back to mum's kitchen just after our old selves have left. They'll arrive here to repeat the two months we're going to now and we'll go forward from the moment we left."

"And what exactly is going to be different about us going forward from here than where we were?"

"You're in good enough shape that I can actually train you now. You're both naturals at the martial arts. In the next two months I can take you through what would have taken a full year otherwise. I haven't even touched on any magical training yet. And I can teach you to apparate. The hardest part of this is going to be when we get back and you two have to hide the extent of what you've learned. That's part of why we've done everything so early that no one else wants to join us. When you let something slip, you can just say Bill and Fleur taught me and they won't know any different."

"You're going to teach me to apparate," Ginny asked with wide eyes.

"You need to be able to escape, Sprite," Bill said.

"Escape?"

Bill glanced at Fleur. "Tell 'er," she said.

"Tell me what?" Ginny asked.

Bill reached across the table and put his hand on hers. "There was an Order meeting last night. Snape says Voldemort has made you number three on his list; right after Harry and Dumbledore."

"Me?" Ginny squeaked.

"He knows about the diary, Sprite. And he's unhappy with the fact that an eleven year old girl managed to fight him off for six months. He's decided you're a threat and he's after you."

"He wants to kill me?"

"Not yet. He wants you alive so you can be convinced to join him."

"I'll never join him," Ginny said vehemently. "I'll die."

"I know you will, Sprite," Bill said. "That's why you need to be able to escape. This will give you two secret weapons. If you somehow find yourself in front of him all you have to do is keep him out of your mind long enough to use them. Convince him you're willing to join him, do whatever you have to so they leave you alone long enough to escape. You'll only need a few seconds to do it and you can be gone before they even know it." Harry narrowed his eyes. "What, Potter?" Bill asked.

"You knew it was going to happen, didn't you. You may have only found out last night, but you were expecting it, weren't you?"

"What makes you zink zat, Harry?" Fleur asked.

"Oh, I don't know; maybe the fact that he was the only one who never had a problem with her training with me. He didn't have a problem cause he was already training her. It just wasn't the same things as me."

Bill eyed Harry, his jaw clenched tightly. "Shit," he finally sighed.

"Shit what?" Harry and Ginny asked together. Ginny pulled her hand from under Bill's and shifted defensively closer to Harry. "William, Arthur Weasley, if you know something, you better tell me, right now."

"Now," Harry said, his voice low and dangerous. "I'm tired of secrets. I can walk out on you as easily as I did Dumbledore. And I'll take her with me."

"He won't have to take me. I'll gladly go with him."

"Does et, matter, William," Fleur asked. "We planned to tell zem soon anyway, non?"

"You're part of this too?" Ginny accused.

"Of course I am, Ginevra. 'Ou else was zere to 'elp 'im?"

"I swear if you two have been manipulating me like Dumbledore was," Harry growled.

"Keep your shirt on, Potter," Bill said. He pushed his chair back and stood. "I'll be right back."

"Make it quick, Sir," Harry said in the same tone he used with Snape.

"Do not use zat tone wiz 'im," Fleur snapped. "You 'ave no idea wat 'e 'as done for you or 'ow much 'e loves Ginevra."

"I'm not particularly pleased with you either Ms. Delacour," Harry retorted.

Before things could escalate into a full-blown row, Bill reemerged from his and Fleur's room. He tossed a charred and blackened book on the table before he sat down. Ginny let out a little squeak and slid back from the table. Harry shifted in front of her protectively.

"Where did you get that?" he asked.

"Dobby," Bill answered.

"Malfoy had it."

"No, you tricked him into giving it to Dobby with your sock in it so he would be freed."

 _Right,_ Harry thought. _How could I have forgotten that?_ "Why?" he asked

"Why what?"

"Why do you have it?"

"Do you know what this is?" Bill asked. "Or rather what it was?"

Harry wracked his brain to remember what Dumbledore had said about it. Unfortunately, he'd only said it belonged to Voldemort's teenage self. And after Harry had destroyed it with the basilisk fang he'd been unconcerned with it presenting any danger to anyone anymore. In fact, he'd actually given it to him. "No," he said carefully. "Dumbledore never actually told me."

Bill pushed the diary a few inches closer to Harry and Ginny. "This is one of several objects Voldemort turned into a Horcrux."

"What's a Horcrux?"

"It's a receptacle for part of your soul. It's created by the use of the most dark and evil magics known to wizard kind. In order to make one, a person must commit a murder in the process. Murder, and pay attention to that word, because it's a key point here, is by itself an evil and heinous crime. It is what splits the soul. Every murder a person commits further splits their soul, leaving them less and less human. Part of the murderer dies when they commit the crime. The part of their split soul passes on to whatever comes next, leaving what's behind an ever-emptying shell. A Horcrux captures that bit of soul at the moment of the split. It holds it here in this world. This," he said and tapped the diary, "is what makes Voldemort immortal. His body can be destroyed, but the bit of life in it can't pass on without all of the soul; which is trapped in this."

Harry scowled as he tried to process what he was hearing. "So when he tried to kill me as a baby and the curse reflected back at him, it destroyed his body, but that bit of soul couldn't pass on because of that," he nodded at the diary. "And he floated around in some kind of spirit form till he made a new body in my fourth year?"

"Yes."

"But shouldn't he have died when I destroyed it?"

"Not if he made more than one," Bill said. Ginny stifled a cry and pressed her face into Harry's back, holding him tightly around the waist. Harry covered her hands with his. "And know he has a new body," Bill went on. "So even if we destroy all his Horcruxes, we still have to kill him… You have to kill him," he added significantly.

"Why? If all those things are destroyed, shouldn't anyone be able to kill him?"

Bill shrugged. "Don't know, but that's not what the prophecy says. It says you have to kill him."

"But won't that make, Harry a murderer?" Ginny whispered from behind him. Won't it split his soul?"

"No," Bill and Fleur said together.

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"Harry, zere is a difference between murder and self defense. Voldemort 'as decided to kill you. Zere is no reason. You 'ave done notzing to 'im. 'E kills because 'e can, because 'e enjoys to do so. Zat is murder. Ze Gods, ze Universe, watever 'igher power you wisz to believe en, et allows for all creatures to kill en defense of zere own life or ze life of anotzer."

"That's the difference, Potter," Bill said. "I know for a fact that your mother and father killed people. But they weren't murderers. They defended their own life, or the life of others with the force necessary. Every person they killed weighed on them. I won't lie; taking a life is a heavy burden. It hurts you here," he pointed at his heart. "You see their faces in your dreams, the faces of their spouse and children. It hurts. But the fact that it hurts is what tells you you're still human, and not a murderer."

Harry studied Bill's face, the set of his jaw. "You've killed someone, haven't you?"

"The first ones were in Paris. They attacked Fleur and I. I gave them every chance I could to just leave us alone. I told them I'd die before they took her. They said that was fine with them. I told them I was going to take at least one of them with me, hoping the thought that they might be the one to die would get them to back off. They didn't believe me."

"Were they muggles?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you just apparate away?"

"Have you noticed that neither one of us drinks? Not even so much as a drop with dinner."

"You were too drunk to apparate."

"We were in muggle Paris. We'd started the night running late, wands got left at home. Magic wasn't an option. We were surrounded. They attacked, a number of them died. Does that make me a murderer?"

"No," Ginny whispered from behind Harry.

"And the others?" Harry asked.

"We're at war, Potter. You do what you have to."

Harry leaned back in his chair as he considered everything he'd learned so far. Ginny shifted from holding him from behind to snuggling in at his side and he wrapped his arm around her protectively. "That still leaves a lot of unanswered questions, Sir. How long have you been planning all of this? What else aren't you telling us?"

Bill sat back in his chair and Fleur took his hand supportively. "I suppose in some way I've been getting ready my whole life. Don't ask why or how, I just did. I excelled in school. The martial arts always fascinated me; so the first chance I got I started taking classes. And I was good. As good as you two are. It just comes to me. Inside of a year I was better than people who had been training for five. I'm as good after ten as people who've spent their lives training in the various arts. Same with being a curse breaker and ward expert.

"I've broken wards no one has. I defeated the Fidelius. I've seen magic as bad as anything Voldemort's come up with. When I first learned about Ginny and that diary, I knew what had happened. Or at least I was 99% sure I knew. I wanted to be sure so I went and found Dobby and asked him for the diary. It took me all of thirty seconds to confirm what it was. From that moment I knew Voldemort was coming back. And I knew he would want Ginny. An eleven-year-old girl should not have been able to resist him as long as she did. But as you've learned this summer, my little sister has heart. She doesn't quit. Merlin you've beaten the hell out of her sparring. She just gets up again. It's fucking amazing. And she's powerful, Potter. I've got juice. All the Weasley's do; but Ginny's got more than all of us. There's a reason every one of her brothers is sacred of her. She's hexed all of them into next week at one time or another. The point is, I knew if Voldemort came back he'd want to check his Horcruxes. He'd want to make sure they were safe. And when he found one of them missing, he was going to want to know where it was. And when he learned about Ginny, I knew he'd eventually target her. I started training her to defend herself as soon as I managed to get her head on straight again. She's a skilled Occlumens and Legilimens. Far beyond what a fifteen-year-old girl should be. She's the top student in her class. She's every bit as good as Hermione and she's got street smarts to go with it. And now, just like you, she's ready to learn how to be deadly; because just like you, she's got no choice. She can be deadly… or she can be dead."

There was complete silence for about ten seconds when Bill had finished, and Harry could feel Ginny shaking as she held him tightly. She suddenly let him go. "I think I'm going to be sick," she said and bolted for the loo.

Harry and Bill jumped to their feet to follow her. Fleur put her hand on Bill's arm. "Let 'im," she said quietly. Bill looked between Fleur and the bathroom where Ginny and now Harry had disappeared; clearly torn on wanting to go to her. "William," Fleur pressed him.

Bill slowly sat down and rested his head in his hands. "God's Fleur," he said, his voice laced with pain. "Why couldn't it have been Hermione? I don't know if I can do this."

Fleur reached out and turned his face. "Only you can break my faith in you, my love," she said in French. "I know you will not fail because doing so would be unthinkable. And when you are weak, I will carry you."

Harry stepped into the bathroom to find Ginny kneeling on the floor, trying to hold her hair back as her stomach heaved. He quickly knelt and took her hair just in time for her to brace her hands on the toilet as the contents of her stomach came back up. With his free hand, he rubbed small circles on her back to try and help her calm. With her stomach empty, she eventually spit into the toilet a number of times in an attempt to clear the foul taste from her mouth before she slowly sat back on her heels. Harry let her hair go, stood and wet a washcloth for her.

"Thank you," she said weakly.

Harry knelt down beside her and pulled her against his chest. "Any time, Gin," he answered. He held her gently for the time it took her to stop the small tremors that shook her every few seconds. Ginny eventually sat up, looking at the floor.

"I suppose you think I'm a weak little girl now," she muttered.

"I've never thought that."

Ginny bit back a harsh laugh. "Yeah right, I was never just Ron's little sister to you."

"You were, Harry conceded. But I never thought you were a weak little girl." Ginny chanced a glance up. "From the first time I saw you there was something about you that said you weren't a person to mess with lightly. Merlin, Gin, you stood up to Malfoy and his dad before you'd even started school."

"Yeah," she muttered. "And he gave me Tom's diary because of it."

"You're probably right," Harry said. Ginny gave him a questioning look. Harry shrugged. "I think he was probably going to give it to Hermione. But then you piped up and your dad punched him and he decided the best revenge was to kill you."

"You think he was going to give it to Hermione?"

Harry shrugged again. "Maybe. It needed to be someone with a tie to me. Hermione was established as one of my two best friends. You weren't. Malfoy is a bastard, but he's not stupid. I'm sure he recognized you were crushing on me and that it made you a better target. It was a huge mistake, because I don't think Hermione has your strength. She might now, but she didn't then. And unlike you at the time, she didn't think she was in love with me. If there's one thing I've learned from Sirius dying and Voldemort trying to possess me, it's that love is a powerful motivator." Ginny studied Harry, her brow furrowed in thought. "What?" he asked.

"Come on," she said. She stood up and held her hand out. "You're ready to move on to the second phase of your occlumency training."

Harry blinked. "I am?"

"Yes. Come on."

"Erm, now?"

"Yes now, Harry," Ginny said with exasperation. "Do you think I'm standing here holding my hand out for my health?"

Harry took her hand and she pulled him up. "Don't you maybe want to lie down or something? I mean you were just throwing up over what Bill told us. We could wait a bit if you liked."

Ginny tugged on his hand, pulling him out of the bathroom. "Harry."

"What?"

"Shut up and stay here." She let his hand go and disappeared into her room. Harry glanced at Bill and Fleur and gave a shrug that said, 'I've no idea.' at their questioning look. Before they could ask anything, Ginny was back again with the bag she always took along when they went to her little glade by the stream back at The Burrow. "Thanks for bringing this," she said. She grabbed Harry's hand again and pulled him to the door. "Come on."

"Where are you going?" Bill asked.

"Harry's ready for the second stage of occlumency training. Don't bother us."

Bill and Fleur stared at the gently flapping curtain Harry and Ginny had disappeared through. Bill slowly shook his head. "She just keeps getting up again."

"Zey are botz impressive."

Bill stood. "I know you pointed out where the edge of the wards were earlier, but let's just make sure they don't get too close till we've had a chance to walk the perimeter with them."

Fleur rose and hooked her arm with his. "Anything to spend time with you, my Love."

"I love it when you speak French."

Harry helped Ginny spread her blanket on the large flat rock she'd picked out amongst the boulder field on this end of the beach. It was easy to see why she'd chosen this spot. There was a huge boulder behind them that when seated or lying down blocked the view of the tent, and made a perfect back rest or spot to prop your pillow. When standing you could see the amazing cliffs that encircled the bay they were in. But what had him enthralled was the view the other direction. Harry had never been to the ocean before, a rather amazing accomplishment for someone who had lived in England their whole life. But then he had grown up with the Dursleys. But now, having only just been exposed to it, he was captured as so many countless others had been throughout the centuries. The ocean had a majesty unto itself that matched any range of mountains. Ginny's spot was the perfect place to sit and watch the waves roll in. And the sound of it was already working its hypnotic magic on him.

"Ok," Ginny said. "Come here." Harry rather reluctantly turned from watching the waves crash against the cliffs at the far end of the beach and settled between her legs with his head in her lap. Ginny's fingers began their familiar caress of his temples. "Stage one, first," she said quietly. Harry shifted slightly and settled in, timing his count with the sound of the waves crashing on the beach. "Good, Harry," Ginny said before he'd reached 300. Harry's mouth curled into a satisfied smile with her praise. "Now," she said softly another minute or so later. "I want you to focus your mind on one thing. It should be important to you, but not material like a broom. Pick a memory you cherish, or even a person. But make sure whatever you pick is something you're willing to share with me. Don't tell me what it is now, just keep it to yourself." Ginny fell silent as she let him think about what he wanted. For a minute or so she could feel the calm surrounding him lessen as he stopped trying to empty his mind and find what he wanted, but it wasn't too long before the emotions and the energy he was projecting began to settle again. "Ready?" she asked.

"How did you know?"

"The energy you're projecting settled. You're calm, in control, satisfied. It's very strong. You have very powerful emotions Harry."

"Do you listen to them all the time?"

"No, but I routinely check on you. As your teacher, I have to."

Harry nodded. "K."

"Now I want you to hold what you've picked in your mind. Focus on it and nothing else. Hold it with a mental death grip… No, sorry, bad analogy," she backtracked when she felt him tense. "Be calm, Harry. This is yours. It belongs to you. This thought is a source of strength for you; a warm fire when you're cold, water when you're thirsty, food when you're hungry. It's a friend when you need one, a balm on your soul." Ginny closed her eyes and did her best to expel the poisons of her own day as she 'listened' to Harry's emotions. "You're doing well, Harry. I'm proud of you." Ginny's eyes snapped open. "Whoa," she breathed.

Harry cracked an eye open. "What?"

"Was that just because I said you were doing well?"

"You're approval means more than anything to me, Gin. Just the thought that you're proud of me is going to carry me for weeks… Ok, I don't need to be as good as you to know that I just made you very happy."

"Harry, three people believe in me; Bill, Fleur and you."

Harry frowned. "I think there are a few more than three, Gin. I'm pretty sure your mum and dad do as well."

"I don't know, Harry. "I want to believe that, but I just don't feel it. Dad has never tried to stop me like Mum has. But even while he's encouraging me, I get the feeling he really doubts I'm going to succeed. And my mum, it's going to be a long time before I really trust anything she does towards me. I know right now she's just doing whatever she needs to keep me from filing that petition."

Harry sat up and turned to face her. "Maybe it isn't so much that others don't believe in you as you don't believe in yourself, Gin."

Ginny cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

"Harry took her hands in his. "Gin, the only person I know who beats themself up more than you is me. You're strong here." He tapped her head. "And here." He thought better of tapping her chest and tapped his own over his heart. "Everything you do seems to be calculated to prove to the world you can. But how much of that is to prove it to yourself?"

Ginny looked down at the ground. "I – I don't…" she stammered.

Harry caught her chin and held her with his eyes. "I believe in you. You know Bill does. And Fleur, even with how hard you've made her work for your approval, she believes in you. Maybe if you start having a bit more faith in yourself, you'll start seeing there are others who do too."

"I'm not sure I know how," she whispered.

"Start with this. We beat him Gin; you and I. Yes he got you into the Chamber, but you held him off long enough for me to help. I didn't beat him alone that day. You were there; and if you'd given up before I got there, if he'd managed to kill you first and regained a body that way, he would have been too much for me. I barely lived as it was, Gin. You saved yourself as much as I saved you."

It was a few seconds before she softly whispered, "I'm scared, Harry."

"You think I'm not? Do you think I actually want to fight him? He's insane, Gin. And he's bloody powerful. I'm just some dumb kid with a scar on his head. I'm bloody terrified."

"But you never show it," Ginny protested. "I never even feel it in your emotions."

"Anger can hide almost anything, Gin."

"How do you do it, Harry? I knew I was a target just because my family is fighting against him. I know I was given the diary, but that was just random. It could have been anyone. But now, now…" she faltered.

"You're me," Harry finished for her.

Ginny swallowed as she looked into his intensely burning emerald green eyes. "Yes."

Harry shifted so he was leaning back against the rocks and patted his stomach. "Come here," he said. Ginny settled between his legs and snuggled into his chest. Harry settled his arms around her and rested his chin on the top of her head. "I've got friends, Gin. And now I've got you."

Ginny slipped her hand into his, entwining their fingers. "I'll try Harry. I don't know if I can be as strong as you, but I'll try."

Harry put his hand on her head, pulling her tight. "You're already stronger than I am, Gin," he whispered.

"You're a liar, Harry."

"Shush, just rest. I'm not going anywhere."

Bill and Fleur watched them from high on the cliffs behind the beach. "How long do you think?" he asked.

"I zink it will be some time yet; montzs at least."

"They're pretty intense already."

"Zey are not ready yet. Et es not a possibility zey are even considering. Et will 'appen when it does. Zeses zings will not be rushed."

* * *

Author's notes:

Makes you wonder if Bill and Fleur know even more than they've revealed.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's notes:

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter IX**

 **You'd Think a Bloke…**

* * *

The ensuing weeks saw Harry and Ginny's training multiply threefold. Six days a week they rose at 5:00am downed a glass of 'calories' and hauled water in buckets from the well to the holding tank. Four people showering at least twice a day plus drinking and cooking consumed a lot of water. It took them an hour carrying two five-gallon jugs each to fill the reservoir. And they did it every single day. They both learned very quickly to jump in the ocean to scrub at the sweat and dirt before spending as little as two minutes in the shower to rinse away the salt. Either that or they would wet themselves, shut the water off while they lathered up and then turn the water back on to rinse. Much to their annoyance Bill and Fleur suffered no such qualms. Especially considering the fact that the two of them slept for the hour it took to fill the tank. But they both did it with only privately voiced complaint as, but for Sunday dinner, Bill and Fleur did all the cooking. And it didn't take long to figure out Fleur cooked every bit as well as Mrs. Weasley; different yes, but every bit as good. Filling the water tank was followed by an hour of physical conditioning during which Bill would have at least one, Fresh Hell, for them to survive. Fleur would leave at 7:00 to prepare breakfast while Bill worked with Harry and Ginny for an hour on holds and counters. At 8:00 they would head back to the tent for a quick rinse before breakfast.

Breakfast usually consisted of fruits, cold preschetta, various cheeses, fresh bread or croissants, cold hard-boiled eggs, milk, juice, and another glass of 'calories'. After eating they would rest for half an hour before spending an hour on apparition training. 10:00 brought an hour of yoga. From 11:00 to noon Bill taught Harry how to play the drums, while Fleur and Ginny would disappear. Harry had no idea where they went or what they did, and all attempts to get it out of Ginny were met with sealed lips. Whatever it was, noon brought the two women back and it was time for lunch. Because of the carbohydrates contained in pasta and the way they released energy in a steady stream over time, it was very prevalent in their diet. It was also, of course, ideal as a leftover because it took all of two minutes to pull it out of the cold box, put it on a plate and hit it with a heating charm. Therefore lunch consisted of whatever was left over from dinner the previous night, and a third glass of 'calories'.

Lunch would last from noon to 1:00; allowing them time to eat and let things settle before beginning two hours of intense training in striking and blocking followed by a half hour of stretching to increase their flexibility. Harry and Ginny would then grab another quick shower so they wouldn't be offensive to one another while they trained in occlumency. While they were doing that, Bill and Fleur would prepare dinner, which was precisely at 6:00. Dinner lasted an hour and included a fourth glass of the ever-present 'calories'.

As with breakfast and lunch, Fleur insisted that all conversation occur in French. In her words, "They were in France; eating at her table. They would speak French or go hungry." So both Harry and Ginny were slowly starting to learn the language. Again there was a half hour rest period after dinner that Harry and Ginny used to revise for the coming school year and carried them to 7:30. Harry figured by the time he was done with this extended summer he was going to have spent more time revising for the coming year than he had over the whole of the previous school year. After Bill and Fleur had cleaned up from dinner, they would spend three hours in magical training; learning everything from how to identify cursed objects to field healing charms, to the most effective spells to use in a fire fight; both offensively and defensively. That would take them to 10:30 and their beds where they would collapse in exhaustion.

Day seven afforded Harry and Ginny an extra hour before they had to get up and haul water. Breakfast went from 7-8:00 and was followed by laundry from 8-11:00. 11-12:30 brought a nap for Ginny and Harry's weekly visit to Heaven, as Fleur would give him a massage. Lunch lasted an hour and then it was Harry's turn to nap while Ginny got her turn under Fleur's magic hands. From 3-6:00 Bill and Fleur disappeared into their room and Harry and Ginny would take their weekly turn at making dinner. Dinner usually lasted two hours; after which, Harry and Ginny would sit on the rocks down by the beach and listen to the ocean till it was time to go to bed.

"Very nice," Fleur said. Two straight weeks of French speaking meals had brought some small progress in Harry and Ginny's vocabulary. Enough so that they didn't need to constantly ask how to say something in English and then repeat it in French after Fleur had provided the words. "I was afraid I would starve the nights you cooked, but this is two weeks in a row that dinner has been excellent."

Ginny grinned. "I cook well. Harry can't follow a recipe to save his life."

Hey," he protested. "I managed the biscuits ok."

Ginny snickered. "You burnt the first batch. And you almost put garlic salt in them."

Harry smirked and shrugged. "Salt, garlic salt, does it really matter?"

"I thought I smelled something burning," Bill said

"It is just potions, Harry," Fleur said. "You add the ingredients and mix them as the instructions say."

"I'm rubbish at potions."

"No, you are rubbish at dealing with Professor Snape. Next week you will cook and Ginny will just make sure you don't ruin our dinner. I am confident you will do well under the guidance of your favorite teacher."

"My favorite teacher," Harry said. "You can't mean that tetchy little redhead."

"Tetchy!" Ginny exclaimed. "You wait till I get that new wrist lock figured out. You'll see just how tetchy I can be."

Harry laughed. "Shaking in my boots, Gin."

"You should be."

"You've been threatening me with certain death for almost three months, Gin. I've yet to see any actual revenge."

"Potter," Bill said shaking his head. "You're either the bravest man on the planet or the dumbest."

"Dumbest," Ginny said. "Definitely dumbest."

"If I'm the dumbest, what's that make you?" Harry asked. "You're the one who actually volunteered for this demented party your brother set up."

"He has a point," Fleur said.

Ginny gasped. "Traitor!"

Bill laughed. "That'll teach you to trust a veela. They're as fickle as the sun in Inverness in April."

"Well!" Fleur huffed. "Just for that you can do the washing up without my help." She stood and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "I am going to curl up with my book. At least it is intelligent." Harry and Ginny looked between Bill and Fleur. It seemed she really was going to sit on the couch and read her book. "Watch this," Bill mouthed. "You're beautiful," he said, speaking as if it were only she and him in the room. Fleur sniffed and shifted so her back was fully to them but Harry was fairly certain he'd seen a smile crease her lips; and he was positive she had blushed. Harry didn't quite understand exactly how Fleur worked. She could talk about sex in the most blunt terms without even a tinge of red on her face, but Bill could make her blush simply by watching her. "Sexy."

"Urgh," Ginny groaned.

"Intelligent," Bill said.

Fleur tossed her book aside in disgust. "You are a pain in the ass, William Arthur Weasley, and only a fool in love could put up with you." She stood and grabbed a stack of dishes from the table on her way to the sink. "Get in here and help me so I can spend a few moments with you before I fall asleep on you."

Bill stood and grabbed a stack of dishes. "See," he mouthed, "Fickle."

"Can we help?" Harry asked.

"Ha," Fleur said. "There is barely room for two in this kitchen, never mind four."

"Get lost," Bill added.

"William!" Fleur cried.

Harry snorted. "I can take a hint." He stood and held a hand out to Ginny. "Wanna go outside?" he asked.

"Actually, Harry," Ginny said. "I think I just want to go to bed."

"Oh," Harry said surprised. "You don't wanna sit by the ocean for just a few minutes?"

Ginny gave him an apologetic look. "No. We start a new week tomorrow. I really think I just need to go to bed."

"Go sit by the ocean, Sprite," Bill said. "We're only here another six weeks and the ocean at night is amazing. You can have a lie in tomorrow. Sleep all day if you want."

Ginny's mouth dropped open. "I – I can?" she stammered.

"Do I get a lie in?" Harry asked cautiously. He'd discovered Bill had a bit of a sadistic streak and liked to pull surprises in training that left him disbelievingly fuming.

"Yes," Fleur said.

"No hauling water or anything?" Ginny ventured hopefully.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want tomorrow," Bill said. "Though I might suggest you stretch. It will help get rid of the soreness."

Harry frowned. "Why?" he asked. A second later, he changed his mind. "On second thought, don't answer that. I don't want to know."

Fleur laughed. "You're correct Harry. "You don't want to know."

Ginny grabbed Harry's hand and tugged. "Come on, before they change their minds."

A few minutes later Harry dug Ginny's shoulder bag out of the hole they'd stashed it in the rocks in. He spread the blanket, propped a pillow behind his back and leaned against the rock. Ginny set her pillow on his lap and settled between his legs with her back against his chest. She sighed blissfully. "Twenty-four hours. I've got twenty-four whole hours before the insanity starts again."

Harry chuckled. "Actually, twenty-four hours only takes us to about 8:30 tomorrow night. We still get till 5:00 the next morning. So we actually have about thirty-two and a half hours."

"Harry."

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Harry gave her a squeeze with his legs. "I know." They fell silent for a few minutes before Ginny spoke.

"Are you going to carry me in if I fall asleep out here?"

"Worried I'll toss you in the ocean?"

"The thought crossed my mind."

Harry chuckled again. "Don't worry, Gin."

"Does that mean you'll carry me in?"

"Yep."

"Oh good." Ginny promptly scooted down, turned to her side, forced her arm under his leg so she could hold it like a pillow and rested her head on his upper thigh.

"Comfortable?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"I'm a bit chilly."

Harry grabbed the edges of the blanket and wrapped them up around her. "Better?"

"Perfect," Ginny said. "I'm perfect."

The next time Harry was aware of anything it was because Bill was gently shaking his

shoulder. "Come on, Potter, it's midnight. And as comfortable as she looks, she's gonna regret sleeping on a rock all night."

Harry squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head to loosen the cobwebs. "Midnight?"

"Yep. You want help getting her in?"

"Nope."

"All right, see you in the morning."

By the time Harry managed to extract himself from Ginny's grasp Bill had disappeared into the tent. Harry carefully wrapped the blanket around Ginny and lifted her from the ground. She roused enough from her slumber to wrap her arms around his neck and tucked her head on his shoulder. "Time is it?" she asked.

"Midnight. Just go back to sleep, Gin."

"K," she mumbled. Harry carried her the short distance back to the tent and into her room where he laid her on the bed.

"Sweet dreams, Gin," he said quietly before backing out of the room.

"Hmmm," she said. Harry chuckled softly. Two minutes later, still fully clothed, he was asleep in his bed.

"Ok," Ginny said. "Stage two and a half of your occlumency training."

Harry smiled but didn't open his eyes or move from where he was lying with his head in her lap. "Rat's, I was hoping we could just take a nap."

"Like hell. There is no way I'm suffering that Harpy's wrath for sleeping when I'm suppose to be training you again."

Harry chuckled. "She was rather perturbed with us."

"A three mile swim followed by twenty-five dune sprints with only thirty seconds rest between. I was dizzy till the next morning."

"I really thought I was going to pass out," Harry agreed.

"Well if you thought that was bad, imagine what it would be if she caught us napping again."

Harry shuddered. "Ok, no napping."

"You have your thought?" Ginny asked.

Harry grinned. "Yes, Madam, Ginevra."

"Don't flirt with the teacher."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so."

Harry sighed. "Ok, no sleeping and no flirting. Just another old battle axe slave driver."

Ginny jabbed him in the side. "Watch it, Potter."

Harry grunted and caught her hand so she couldn't jab him again. "Ok," he agreed. "I've got my thought."

"And you've got it separated from everything else?"

"Yes."

"Now I want you start pushing everything else in your mind away from that thought. Try to create an empty field around your thought."

"A field?"

"Yes. Or even better, a vast desert."

"So the idea is anyone trying to get to this thought has to cross the desert first?"

"Metaphorically speaking."

"I read about it. The author said in a way you're trying to lose your memory within your own mind."

"That's a good way of looking at it."

"And when do you start looking for it?"

"Soon."

It was a few moments before Harry responded. "Will it hurt?"

Ginny shifted. "It'll give you a nasty headache."

"Wonderful."

Ginny brushed his fringe back. "Hush, Harry. We'll deal with that when you're ready. Just relax and think about your memory."

"K," he agreed. Ginny continued to gently stroke her fingers through his hair. "Harry sighed blissfully. "I love it when you do that," he said.

"It's nice," she agreed.

"What? Having me do that for you, or doing it for me?"

"Both." Her fingers stilled for a moment. "It looks like it hurts," she whispered.

Harry frowned. "Sorry?"

"Your scar," Ginny said. Ever so hesitantly she traced the line of it with the tips of her fingers. "It looks like it hurts. Does it?"

Harry opened his eyes. "Sometimes."

A tear slipped down her face to drip on his cheek. She quickly wiped it away. "Sorry," she said before trying to slip out from under him.

Harry quickly sat up and caught her arm. "Gin, what's wrong?" She shook her head and refused to look at him. Harry caught her chin and turned her face to his. "Don't hide from me, Gin," he said quietly. "What's wrong?"

"I hate this, Harry. I hate that we have to train like this. I hate that I can't just be a stupid fifteen-year-old girl." She reached up and palmed his cheek. "And I hate that you're in pain. And don't tell me you're not. It's angry and red; like it's brand new. And I can't stand it because if I had one wish in life it would be that you would never know a second's pain."

Harry blinked a number of times. "But if I didn't, how would I ever know joy?"

Ginny sniffed. "I don't know. I just hate it."

Harry didn't know what else he could say so he just pulled her into his chest and held her. "Thanks, Gin," he whispered. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

Ginny found his hand and wove her fingers into his, holding on tightly. "I'm scared, Harry."

Harry crushed her to him. "I know, Gin. I know."

"I will be there, Harry. When you finally have to face him, I will be there."

"Gin," Harry said.

"Promise me, Harry," she cut him off. "Promise me you won't try and tuck me away. Because if you die and I'm not there, dying with you, I'll never forgive myself."

"Gin," Harry said.

Ginny pulled out of his arms, turned and grabbed him by the sides of his face. "Dying is easy, Harry," she said her eyes blazing as they locked with his. "I could die in your place in a second. I'd do it a thousand times over. But living, that's hard. Being the one left behind, the one who has to carry the guilt, the one who has to spend the next hundred years wondering if they had just done something, anything, different, would it have saved your life, that's the hard part, Harry. And I won't do it. I won't, Harry. I won't ask you to do it for me. So swear it, if I mean anything to you at all, swear you won't ask me to live for you."

Harry stared back at her for some time before he quietly said, "Ok."

Ginny sagged against him. "Thank you, Harry."

Harry wrapped his arms around her again. "For what, agreeing to let you die with me if that's what it comes to?"

"For respecting me enough to accept that I feel as strongly for you as you do for me; for setting aside what you really want and letting me decide what's right for me."

"I love you, Gin," Harry answered quietly. "I could never ask you to be anything but what you are."

Ginny sighed and snuggled in closer to him. "I love you too, Harry."

* * *

"I don't get it," Bill said from where he and Fleur sat on the cliffs watching Harry and Ginny. "What's taking so long?"

"It has only been two months, William."

"It's been nearly four," Bill said. "We go back into our timeline in eight days."

"It will happen."

"When?"

"Harry must first accept that he is worthy of being loved, and that he can stand the pain of loving someone."

"And Ginny?"

"Ginevra must decide she can stand the pain of loving _him_."

"Well I wish they'd get a move on."

"There is time, William."

"Twenty-three months isn't as long as it sounds."

"You cannot interfere, William. You will doom them if you do. You will doom us all."

Bill sighed. "I know. I just always felt like I had time. Now I don't."

Fleur patted his hand. "There is time."

* * *

 **HPHPHP**

* * *

"Each of you has a pack in your rooms that was labeled not to be touched," Bill said the moment he stepped out of his and Fleur's room. "Get them." Harry and Ginny exchanged a look, shrugged, and went to retrieve the packs from their rooms. They were both back in less than a minute. "Wand's," Bill snapped.

Fleur came out of the room she shared with Bill and took a seat at the table. "Morning."

Harry and Ginny immediately triggered the release on their wrist holsters. "Got them," they said. "Morning, Ms. Delacour," Harry added

"Damn well better. Let me see 'em."

"What for?" Harry asked. Bill cocked an eye at him. "What for, Sir," Harry corrected himself.

"Cause I don't fancy getting hit with any of the curses I've taught you if you happen to have incorrectly applied the Live-Fire Charms to them."

"We aren't going to actually cast those at each other, are we?" Ginny asked nervously.

"We are today," Bill said.

"But…"

"No buts," Bill cut her off. "Do it or quit."

Ginny scowled angrily at him. "Fine," she snapped and thrust her wand at him. "You better make sure it's right, Big Brother."

"Oh no, Little Girl," Fleur cut in, "you are all mine."

Harry put his hand on Ginny's arm. "Easy," he said quietly. "She's just messing with your head."

"He's right, Sprite," Bill said. "You're your own worst enemy. When you let your temper get the better of you, you're predictable and rather easy to deal with. When you use your head, you're an entirely different animal."

Ginny shook Harry's hand off and held her hand out. "May I have my wand back, Sir?" Bill handed it back and took Harry's when it was offered.

"Do I get to check yours?" Harry asked when Bill handed his back. Wordlessly, Bill handed his wand over to Harry. Ginny held her hand out to Fleur expectantly. Fleur stuck her nose up in the air but handed her wand over.

When Harry was satisfied with his examination of Bill's wand, he handed it back. "So what are we doing today, Sir?"

Bill grabbed Harry's pack and opened it. "These are field packs," he said. "The way I see it we're going to have to find where Tommy Boy hid his little trinkets, and we're only going to get a general location on them. An area like what we have under the Fidelius here. We're going to have to spend some time hunting, maybe a few days even. So everything you need for a camping trip is here." He began pulling items out of the pack. "Military camouflage pants. Notice all the pockets." He tossed them on the floor. "Shirts, a light jacket, thermals, dragon hide boots, two pairs, socks, you can never have enough dry socks so four pair, grungies," he paused and shot Fleur a look. "Pink plaid?"

"They were part of a package."

Bill gave his head a slight shake and went back to emptying Harry's pack. "K-bar," he pulled out a nasty looking knife. "Used for everything from eating to cutting wood, to killing. Swiss army knife, in case you lose the K-bar, and it's got a spoon and a fork on it. Muggle torch, extra batteries, muggle camp stove, extra fuel canister for the stove, candles, a lighter, waterproof matches, water purification tablets, first aid kit with both magical and non-magical items. It's got one dose of morphine in it. Break it open jab it in your arm, squeeze and no more pain. There's also almost no ability to function coherently so only if you're desperate; it's for huge cuts, broken bones and such. You've each got one. Don't give one person both doses at once. Wait a minimum of an hour between them, preferably two."

"Why do we need all the muggle stuff?" Ginny asked. "We've got wands."

"What if you lose it?" Bill countered.

"Oh," Ginny said. "Carry on."

"Camp cook set, sleeping bag, two person non-magical tent, and MRE's." He tipped the bag over and a number of brown pouches fell out of it."

"What's an MRE?" Harry asked.

"Meal Ready to Eat." Bill grabbed one of the pouches and read the contents. "Cheese Omelet, Hash Browns with Bacon, Cracker, Peanut Butter, Shortbread Cookie, Lemon-Lime Electrolyte Beverage Powder, Coffee, MRE Hot Beverage Bag, Spoon, Napkin, Salt, Pepper, Water Purification Tablet, Moist Toweliet." He tossed the package on top of the pile at his feet. "2000 calories, all cooked and ready to eat out of the package… Tasty."

Harry and Ginny eyed the pouch distrustfully. "Cold?" he asked.

"If you have to."

Harry picked the package up and read the menu himself. "Packaged June of 1981. Consume by June 2011? This thing is sixteen years old!"

"Yuck," Ginny said.

"Oui," Fleur agreed. "Quite disgusting."

"Actually I've eaten worse," Bill said.

"I have not," Fleur said.

"They're perfect for our needs. They're cooked, they've got the calories we need, they're easy to carry and they don't go bad. Even magic has its limits on keeping food fresh and safe. When we're Horcrux hunting, that's what we're going to be eating so you may as well get use to them. I bought a variety; so figure out which ones are edible and which ones aren't so the next time I buy them I can just get the good ones."

"I think I'd rather starve," Ginny said.

"You'd be surprised what you'll eat when you're actually starving," Bill said.

"I think I could survive missing a meal or two."

"No," Bill snapped angrily, "you can't Ginevra. At home, when you're lounging around yeah, don't eat all day, you'll be fine. Out in the field, Death Eaters hunting you, fighting for your life harder than you've been training the seven weeks we've been here, not eating is the quickest way to get yourself dead."

"William," Fleur said, "she is your sister, not a Muggle soldier."

"She's in a war and is the number three target on her enemy's list of most wanted. She may not be Muggle, but she better figure out how to be a soldier real quick or she's going to be dead."

"Enough," Fleur snapped. "I will finish this. You will go rest till it is time to start. It is obvious you need it."

Harry and Ginny exchanged a look. They had gotten use to Fleur putting the brakes on Bill when she thought he was pushing too hard. He was the driving force of their training, and the one with the expertise in fighting and curses and such. Fleur was good certainly. She was the one who had spent a year in Healer training, and taught them all yoga, but when she joined them it was obvious that in everything else they were doing, she was in training as much as they were. Of everything she did though, the most important was to be Bill's confidant. She was the one he'd asked to help with this task he'd taken on. It was her he trusted to exchange ideas on what to do next. It was her he trusted to stop him when he simply pushed too hard. But she had never put her foot down like this. Bill blinked owlishly at the reprimand.

"You have been sleeping no more than four hours a night for the last four months. Even yesterday you only slept five. There is no need for you to explain this to them nor to do anything else till we are ready to begin; go sleep, My Love." Bill continued to stare at her in the silence that followed. "Now, William," Fleur said. "You give orders very well. Can you take one as well?"

Bill glanced at the pile of thing's he'd tossed on the floor as he tried to process what was happening. "Yeah," he said slowly when he looked back up, "maybe you're right."

"Of course I am. You have been too tired to take care of me properly for weeks now. I am sick of it. You will go sleep and let me watch for your well being as I do with Harry and Ginevra or you will be very sorry."

Harry leaned down by Ginny's ear. "Do we want to know what she means by taking care of her properly?"

Ginny elbowed him. "No."

"Sounds like she's a bit short on sex to me," Harry mused.

"Shut. Up. Harry," Ginny growled through gritted teeth.

"You'd think a bloke would have to be near dead to turn down a veela for a little sleep."

"I'm going to kill you."

"Do you think she's a top kind of girl or bottom?"

"I'm going to drown you. I swear, Harry."

"Top, bottom," Fleur interrupted them; neither Harry nor Ginny had noticed that Bill had actually left the kitchen, "both are fun."

Ginny turned and belted Harry in the gut. "I did not need to know that you pillock. Bloody hell," she bellowed. She shook her hand and massaged her wrist. "Are you eating nails?"

Harry smirked. "Nope." He lifted his shirt and smacked his well-defined abs with his hand a few times. "Courtesy of your too tired to take care of his girlfriend brother and all the abs work he's tortured me with."

Ginny's eyes glazed and her mouth suddenly watered. She'd seen Harry without a shirt a number of times over the last seven weeks when they were swimming in the ocean for training, but she'd always been too focused on simply surviving to take note of the changes that had occurred in the scrawny boy she use to know. He was still thin, but the effect of all the exercise and eight thousand calories a day was having an effect. She was vaguely aware that she was gaping at Harry's well-muscled stomach but couldn't seem to stop herself and managed little more than a quiet, "Good Lord."

"I agree whole heartedly, Ginevra," Fleur said. Harry quickly dropped his shirt.

Ginny snapped out of her daze and turned on Fleur. "You're sleeping with my brother. You're not allowed to look at other men's muscles; especially Harry's."

Fleur laughed. "Am I treading on your turf?" she teased.

Ginny refused to let the older woman fluster her. "Yes. They're mine. I've given you my brother. You keep your eyes on him and off Harry."

Fleur put her hands on her hips. "And what if I decide I want Harry instead?"

"Aren't I a bit young?" Harry asked. "Oh hell," he backtracked almost immediately. "Can we pretend I didn't say that?"

"Was Viktor too old for Hermione?" Fleur demanded waspishly. "You are much closer to my age than I am to William's, Harry."

"No," Ginny said. "Harry's mine and you can't have him because that means you'd broken Bill's heart and if you did that I'd have to kill you."

"Well I've got news for you, Ginevra," Fleur said. "Whatever Harry is to you, he is mine as well. He is as Gabrielle is to me. I will die for him… I will kill for him… Keep that in mind when you stake your claim on _my_ brother."

"Do I get a say in any of this?" Harry asked.

"No," Ginny and Fleur snapped.

"Right then, just checking."

"Eye's off," Ginny said. "Bill is plenty for you to be looking at."

"Please," Fleur retorted disdainfully. "The fact that your brother can be with me and still notice that there are other attractive women is half the reason I love him. There is nothing wrong in noticing someone other than your mate is attractive; only in acting on that is there a crime committed. And I assure you, Ginevra, it will not be my choice that separates your brother and I. My heart will belong to him long after he has discarded it."

Ginny furrowed her brow. "You really are in love with him, aren't you?"

"Yes. I will be his for as long as he will have me."

"You say that like you expect him to break up with you."

"I don't expect it, but he knows I wish to be married and does not act on it. I can only guess that means he is unsure."

"Why my brother when you could have nearly anyone?"

Fleur sighed and sat down, indicating that Harry and Ginny should too. When they had she said, "Unlike my mother, I do not wish a puppet to be my husband. I have watched her manipulate my father for years. She has more lovers than Casanova and my father is clueless. She wants him for nothing more than his money and the prestige of the name Delacour. I am attracted to men who actually have the ability to walk away from me. William is one of very few. He is also kind, giving and strong. He loves you as I love Gabrielle. When my mother has allowed him in her house, he dotes on her nearly as much as he does you. And he is simply gorgeous. How can I not love him?"

"Your mother doesn't like Bill?"

"You are not the only daughter who has a different opinion than her mother."

"What doesn't she like?"

"He comes from a poor family. His name is not prestigious enough. He is not cultured enough. She finds fault with everything in him. She will say nothing good about him and I refuse to speak to her until she apologizes to him."

"When was the last time you spoke to her?" Harry asked.

"It has been seven months. She will not change her mind. If William asks me to marry him, and I accept, which I will, she will disown me. Truthfully, I believe that is why William hesitates. He does not wish to be the reason my family is torn apart. If I am honest, it is already too late. I am here with him. I have filed the paperwork to take Gabrielle from her because she is unfit as a mother. With luck, she will be at the Burrow a week or so before you go back to school."

"You can do that?" Harry asked.

"Our laws err in favor of the rights of children," Fleur said. "At sixteen, Ginevra can file a petition to disown herself from her family if she chooses. If she can prove she has a place to live and a source of income, it is a mere formality. In Gabrielle's case there is a family member petitioning to take custody of her because her mother is unfit. Evidence must be given, but it is possible."

"Won't your parents fight it?"

"Please," Fleur said disdainfully. "My father will do anything my mother tells him. To him we barely exist. To my mother we were nothing more than accouterments, something she could show off to her high society friends. She is far too concerned with appearances to fight me for her. Not when she can simply let her go and tell everyone that Gabrielle spends summers with her sister in England to further expand her culture."

"And you can't see a way to bend some yourself?" Harry asked.

"There is no bending, Harry. To remain her daughter I must leave William and marry some idiot of her choosing. I think not."

Ginny stood and walked around to Fleur's side of the table where she embraced the older woman. "I was wrong," she said quietly. "You are good enough for my brother. I'm sorry I've been so hard on you."

Fleur crushed Ginny to her. "Thank you," she answered gratefully, "you cannot imagine what that means to me Fleur stood and pushed Ginny back, holding her by the shoulders. "Thank you, Ginevra," she said again and kissed her on each cheek and then the lips before pulling her tight again. "You will not regret trusting me with him."

Ginny pushed herself free of Fleur's grip. "You're welcome," she said and kissed her on each cheek.

Fleur beamed. "I will make you French yet," she laughed.

"Not likely," Ginny said. She grinned and added, "And you still have to keep your eyes off Harry."

Fleur pouted. "But he is looking so fit."

"He's your brother. You aren't supposed to look at him like that."

"And you will stop telling Bill he is gorgeous?"

Ginny pursed her lips. "No."

"Then you will suffer my saying the same of Harry."

Ginny glanced at Harry who was doing his best to appear unconcerned with Fleur's or her actions. Unfortunately the deep red of his face gave him away. "Just don't tell him that too often; his head is big enough as it is."

Harry snorted. "If that isn't the pot calling the kettle black, Weasley."

"Harry," she snapped playfully, "don't talk. You're spoiling the view."

"What view?" Harry asked.

Fleur giggled. "You, Little Brother. We are admiring you."

"But you keep talking and it ruins the whole thing," Ginny laughed.

"You're both a pain in the arse," Harry retorted. "And wasn't there something we were suppose to be doing before you two went all mental?"

Ginny sighed and let go of the hold she had on Fleur. "He just can't shut up," she muttered and sat down next to him again.

Fleur sat down again too. "Yes. Somewhere inside the Fidelius William and I hid a fake Horcrux. It has been cursed with one or more of the things you have learned to identify and nullify over the time we have been here. It is also protected with various enchantments. You will find and render it harmless."

"And what are you and Bill going to do?" Harry asked.

Fleur smiled predatorily. We're going to hunt you. Only two spells are off limits. The Death Curse and the Cruciatus. No one has ever tested how the Live-Fire Charm handles them. Neither William nor I want to be the first."

"The Imperius?" Harry asked.

"Works in exactly the same manner as it does without the charms. The curse itself is harmless, unless the caster makes the victim do something to themselve or another. It is good training for all of us to face it.

"Ok," Ginny said. "What do we need the packs for?"

"Because you two will not be staying here. This will serve as the Death Eater strong hold."

Ginny frowned. "So you two get to live in comfort while we suffer."

Fleur shrugged. "This is what it will be like when we hunt the Horcruxes for real. We must do so without Voldemort becoming aware of what we are doing. If we run into Death Eaters while doing so, they cannot be allowed to escape. They must be killed. So the best thing will be to stay hidden. William and I have spent time in the field. We have been in real fights. You were at the Ministry this past spring. You did well for how little you really knew. William and I have taught you much since we have been here. It is time to see if you can actually use it.

"It is easy to become separated. You may not always be able to rely on William or I. So whether you like it or not, you are going to play this little game. For however long it takes you to find the Horcrux you will not come back here. You have enough food, clothes, medical supplies, a shelter and anything else William and I thought you might need to survive. Like William and I, you will become a team. You will learn what each of you does well. You will take care of each other if you become hurt or lost. I have taught you how to heal broken bones, cuts, spell damage, how to remove curses.

"You will learn now that war does not happen on a schedule. You don't get to take a nap or eat because it is noon. You may not get to eat for a day or more. You will learn to function on little or no sleep because you spent half the night awake, guarding your partner so _they_ could sleep. You will learn to believe, trust, that your partner will be there if you need him or her. You will learn these things now because if you do not, one of you will likely watch the other die when it is real."

Fleur glanced at her watch. "You have two hours from now to find a place to create a camp before William and I begin hunting you. If we find you, or your camp, and believe me, William will find you, you will defend yourselves. You might need to move your camp more than once to stay ahead of us. What happens to you over the next week depends on how well we think you are performing. Do well, William will be kind. Do poorly, and you will regret it.

Harry considered for a second. "So we're essentially going to play capture the flag."

"Yes," Fleur said. "Only your flag is your life. Lose, and you are dead. Metaphorically speaking."

Harry thought about it for another moment. "Actually, don't the two of you have to play to capture us?"

"Why?" Fleur asked.

"Because Voldemort's claimed the right to kill Ginny and I as his alone, he wants us alive."

"And if I know, Tom," Ginny said, "he's not out looking for us himself. He has slaves to do things like that for him."

"So if you're trying to make this realistic, you have to capture us," Harry said.

"But we can _eliminate_ you," Ginny said.

"It is a fair point. I will speak with William. But you must remember that once you are captured you will be brought to Voldemort. And you will suffer a most horrible death. You must treat this as if it is real."

"Ok," Harry said.

"Also, Voldemort has many more than two slaves. If you to manage to take William or I out, we will rejoin the fight. You are only safe once you have destroyed the Horcrux. You are only safe once you have destroyed him."

"And just because he wants us alive, doesn't mean one of them couldn't accidentally kill us," Ginny said.

"Yes," Fleur agreed. "You must remember the point of this. It is a game now. But it will be real. And make no mistakes. If you fail when it is real, you will die. Do not hold back when we find you. Play this _game_ as if it were real."

* * *

Author's notes:

Seems a summer spent with a French Veela has done wonders for Harry's ability to talk about sex.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's notes:

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter X**

 **Only One of us is Allowed to Be…**

* * *

Harry gave a mental shrug. "Sounds like fun. Should we go?" he asked.

"But what are we suppose to do?" Ginny protested.

Harry grabbed his pack and headed for the door. "Don't know. Don't care. All I know is we've only got about an hour and fifty minutes left to get lost before we're going to be very sorry."

"But—"

"We can figure it out after we're safe, Gin. Let's go." Harry held the curtain open for her.

"Do not look at me," Fleur said when Ginny glanced between them.

"Might want your pack," Harry said when she started for the door without it.

"Right," she said. She u-turned to her bag and hurried to join Harry outside the tent.

"So where should we set up camp?" Harry asked.

"Don't ask me," Ginny said with exasperation. "I was trying to get answers from her. You're the one who wanted to ' _get lost'_." She made little quote marks in the air with her fingers.

"She wasn't going to give you any, Gin." Harry surveyed the area. To his left was the rocky area of the beach that rapidly rose in sheer cliffs over two hundred feet tall. To his left was the sandy area of the beach where Bill had run them till Harry thought he was going to die. Further down the beach gave way to a marsh and then about a hundred yards from the water, a forested area. From there, the ground began to rise rapidly into sheer cliffs again. "This way, I think," he said and started off to the forest.

"She might have if you'd let me ask a few more questions."

"Not likely."

"You're a bit pissy today."

"Only cause you're snippy with me."

"I just wanted answers, Harry. Sometimes looking before you leap is a good idea you know." Harry paused to gauge the jump from his current foothold in the marsh to the next. He jumped, slipped and managed to catch himself before he fell flat on his bum in the mud. Ginny laughed. "Case in point."

Harry shot her a look. "Shut it or I won't help you." She bit back her smile and he set his feet to catch her when she made the leap.

"Thanks," she said when he caught her. "Is there a particular reason you went through the marsh? It's not like we couldn't walk around it."

Harry shrugged and set off again. "Figured he was going to follow us so I thought I might make life interesting for him."

"You're really having fun, aren't you?"

"What's not fun about it?"

"Umh," Ginny managed.

"Knew you'd come around eventually," he teased. "Besides, the alternative is swimming the cliffs."

Ginny shivered. "Why they couldn't have found a beach on the south coast of France. I mean honestly, who swims in the North Sea for Merlin's sake?"

"Oh come on, at least it wakes you up."

"You're mood is entirely too cheerful in the mornings," she retorted. Harry stepped into the forest and held a branch back so it didn't swing back and hit her in the face. "Thanks," she said.

"Welcome," he answered. They continued on in silence for the ten minutes it took them to reach the base of the cliffs.

"Where are we going?" Ginny asked.

"I'm looking for a good spot to set up camp."

Ginny pointed to a nice little glen. "How about there?"

Harry considered it. "It's too nice."

"Too nice?"

"It's an obvious spot to set up. Even after we put up some wards and hide it, it's going to scream, 'CAMPING HERE!' to your brother."

"Or he could pass it by for the same reason you are," she countered.

"You want to set up here?"

"Yes."

Harry shrugged. "Ok, we'll do it your way this time. Next time I pick." Harry knelt down in the grassy area and dumped everything out of his pack onto the ground. He grabbed the tent from the pile and tossed it to Ginny. "See if you can figure out how to set this up."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm gonna sneak back and see if I can't get your shoulder bag out of the rocks; maybe see if I can buy us a bit more than two hours before they come after us."

"Should I set both tents up?"

"I think one. You heard them; we're not going to be sleeping at the same time."

Ginny huffed, "Pity that."

"My bed is always open to you, Gin," he countered cheekily.

"Tosser," she retorted. "Get going. And hurry back."

"Sure thing, luv." Ginny shot him a look. "What," he asked, "you've been calling me that for the last month. I'm not allowed?"

Ginny launched a pot cover at him. "Beat it, Potter."

Harry snagged it out of the air and tossed it back. "Home soon, luv." He turned on the spot and was gone with the distinctive pop of apparition.

Ginny shook her head and muttered, "Not one person is gonna believe we aren't dating when we get back to school. Of course it'll be a good way to keep the Neanderthals from asking me out," she mused. She picked the tent up, dumped it out of its bag, spent about thirty seconds looking at the pile of fabric and little sticks with stretchy rope holding them together and gave it up as a bad job.

"Here, Gin," she grumbled. "You set up the tent. I'm gonna go prank your brother. Have fun. Piss headed toad," she added irritably. She tossed the tent to the side and went about setting a series of wards; first, an illusion charm. Anything viewing the area from outside the ward would see the forest exactly as it should be; devoid of people, their campsites and various other camp necessities.

Just inside her illusion ward she erected a physical energy wall that would prevent any human but herself and Harry from passing through. If Bill or Fleur tried they would get a nasty shock and not wake up for at least a day. At least that was the hope. But seeing as Bill had not only taught them how to set the wards, but also how to take them down, and that he could do it less than a minute, she hoped they were only being tested on having done it correctly. She grinned evilly at the thought. She did have a trick or two to try that Bill hadn't taught her.

Having set the first two of her planed four-layer defense, she took a minute for a drink and a short break. The wards might have been relatively small; only covering a circular area about twenty feet in diameter, but they took a fair bit of energy. More if you weren't particularly skilled at them. She could hardly fathom how Bill had managed to put this entire bay under the Fidelius. The total area he had hidden was nearly two square miles. And he wasn't any more powerful than she was. She pondered it for a few moments before giving a mental shrug and getting back to work.

Her third ward was a redirecting perimeter. Hopefully, anyone looking for them would find themselves unconsciously moving away from her and Harry's campsite. This ward was nearly three times as large as the first two and again took a lot of magical energy. She was barely an hour into this game and she felt like she'd followed a mile long ocean swim with two hours of running from the beach to the top of the cliffs and back again. Each round trip was two miles of torture; one mile uphill, then one mile of driving your legs into the ground going back down. In all honesty, she'd rather run up than down; pounding your legs into the ground hurt a whole hell of a lot more when you were exhausted than going up did. And after all that, you followed it up with the dreaded sand dunes. Sprinting up as fast as you could while the whole thing collapsed down, dragging you away from the top. Anything less than a full out sprint and you found yourself slipping back to the bottom. Far and away it was her most hated torture. She could hardly wait to get back to the Burrow and only have to run rats again. After setting the ward, she carefully examined her work so far and decided it was satisfactory.

"And now the one Bill didn't teach me," she said eagerly. Ginny deliberately walked all around their camp, trailing her wand from tree, to rock, to broken stump, to fern and foliage. As she did, a whisper thin strand, no bigger than a spider's thread was left behind. She wove it randomly about, creating an impenetrable web of nearly invisible silk. It was strong enough to withstand the movements of the forest and if a forest creature happened to break one of the strands it wouldn't set off the warning tone from her wand. But if a human broke the strand, then her wand would whistle and vibrate and they would know it was time to run. If it all worked properly she figured they would have between three and five minutes before Bill could bring down the rest of her wards.

"Likely three," she muttered to herself. "There's a reason he's the best ward and curse breaker in the world." She was broken out of her thoughts by Harry calling for her. "Stay where you are, Harry. I'll be there in a second." She quickly moved around the campsite to where he was standing. "Hey."

"Hey," he answered. He glanced around the area. "You either didn't figure the tent out, or decided we shouldn't camp here after all."

Ginny took his arm and walked him forward past the redirecting perimeter and the illusion ward. "Whoa," Harry said.

"Don't touch," she slapped his hand. "You aren't identified to the ward yet."

Harry rubbed at his knuckles. "Ok."

Ginny conjured a pin, pricked her finger and smeared the drop of blood on the shimmering ward. "Now you," she said and handed him the pin."

Harry followed her example and she pulled him through the ward. "Welcome home, honey," she said. She noticed Harry eyeing the tent. "I gave up on it and set the wards instead. I kind of figured they would be more important anyway. This way we're protected while we try and figure that thing out."

Harry nodded slowly and bumped her hip. "Knew there was a reason I kept you around."

"I thought it was the sex."

"You mean the sex we're not having? Your wards are brilliant, by the way," he added."

Ginny leaned against him. "Thanks, luv."

Harry snorted. "I'm really moving up in the world these days. He nudged the pile of sticks all tangled together with bungee rope at his foot before picking up the tent and giving it a once over.

"How about I organize the cooking things," Ginny offered.

Harry caught her hand. "No. You need to know how to set the tent up." Ginny scowled at him. "We both need to be able to do everything, Gin. What happens if I'm hurt, and you need to get the tent up? Once we know each of us can do everything then we can start breaking off into doing what each of us does well.

Ginny sighed. "You're right."

Harry smirked. "Mark it on the calendar; Ginevra Molly Weasley admits that she was wrong and Harry James Potter was right.

"Shut it you," Ginny said.

Harry laughed. "Or what, Gin?"

"Or," Ginny stopped to think for a second. "I'll think of something."

"Sure you will," Harry taunted. "I've been living under the threat of constant death nearly from the day I arrived at The Burrow this summer." He dropped the tent, grabbed one of the sticks from the pile and untangled it and its attached pieces from the rest.

"I will get you, Harry."

"Scared, Gin, shivers and everything." Harry gave a fake shudder.

"Oh shut up and teach me how to put the tent up."

"Only if you admit I win that round."

"It's gonna be a wet night if it rains," Ginny countered.

Harry snorted. "You would too."

Ginny smirked at him. "Damn right, I would."

"That's my girl," Harry said. "More stubborn than the rest of her family put together."

"And proud of it. Are we going to put the tent up or not?"

"Sure," Harry said. "What you do is grab two pieces like this, stretch the rope between them out, then line them up so the one end slips into the other; like this." He demonstrated for her. "The bungee holds it in place then till you pull it apart." Harry pulled it apart to show her then let it slide together once more. "So you just string the whole line of them together to make one long stick. Like this." He tossed the completed tent pole to the ground and handed her one of the two that were left to assemble. "Your turn."

Ginny took it from him and quickly pieced it together while Harry did the third. "Ok. Now what?"

"It's really easy," Harry said. "The tent is just a six sided dome. So what we do is pick one corner and feed the pole through this sleeve. Then you slip the end of the pole into this little pocket here." He handed the tent and pole to Ginny. "Hold this for me. And don't let the pole slip out of the pocket."

Ginny took it from him. "Ok, got it."

"Good." Harry quickly stepped around the mass of fabric to the opposite corner of the tent and found the little pocket he wanted. "Hold tight now."

"Got it," Ginny said.

Harry grabbed the other end of the pole, bent it into a large loop and forced the end into the pocket. "Ok, you can let go now."

"Do we do the same thing with the others?" Ginny asked.

Harry nodded. "Yep."

Ginny grabbed another pole and in short order they had threaded the remaining poles through their sleeves and into their pockets. Once the tent was erected, Ginny stared at with a goofy grin on her face.

"Pretty cool, hun?" Harry said.

"That's wicked," she agreed.

"Yep, just two steps left."

"Show me," she said eagerly. Harry bent and grabbed a metal stake from the small pile left on the ground. "These are tent stakes." He stepped to the tent and bent down at one of the little pockets the tent poles fit into. "See this little loop on the pocket?"

Ginny nodded. "Yep."

The stake goes through the loop and you pound it in the ground." Harry grabbed a rock and pounded the stake down. "The hook on the stake catches the loop and then the wind can't blow the tent away on you."

Ginny quickly scooped up three of the stakes for herself and tossed the remaining two, to Harry. "All done," she said a few minutes later."

"Nice job, Gin," Harry said.

"Thanks," she said. "What's that?" She pointed at a large piece of fabric still on the ground.

Harry grabbed it, shook it out and spread it over the tent. "It's a rain fly."

A rain fly?"

"Yep. Grab this strap here and pull it down so you can hook it here." Once more he demonstrated for her. In short order the rain fly was secured over the tent. Harry stood up and surveyed their work. "Congratulations. You've set up your first Muggle tent."

"What does the rain fly do?"

"Keeps you from getting wet."

"I thought that's what the tent was for."

"It does too. But to make the tent light, the material is supper thin. If you touch the wall of the tent when it's raining it will start to leak where you touched it. So the rain fly sits over the tent. And since it's impossible to touch the rain fly if you're inside the tent it won't leak and we won't end up soaked if it rains." Harry unzipped the rain fly, tied it back and then unzipped the door to the tent and crawled in. "Coming in?" he asked. Ginny quickly followed him in. Harry laid back on the ground and she snuggled up against his side with her head on his chest "It's not much," he said. "But it's home."

Ginny found his hand and wove her fingers into his. "Our first home. You spoil me, luv. Do I get a toilet when we trade up?"

Harry snorted and pulled her tight against his side. "So tell me about your wards."

"Tell me what you did to buy us some time first," she countered.

"Well," Harry said, "I started by putting a Bludgeoning Curse on the tent flaps. If we're lucky, one of them will end up with a broken ankle. I figure that's at least two hours recovery time. Then I laced the marsh with a Fog Charm. It'll activate when they get about half way across. They won't be able to see the ends of their noses. And I put a Confundus Charm in it so hopefully not only will they be lost, they won't be able to remember that they're lost. Then I decided to go back to the tent to get something from the bathroom that would really make their lives miserable."

Ginny shifted so she could prop her chin up on her fist on his chest. "Do go on, luv. You know how I love it when you turn all evil."

Harry returned her smirk. "I took a bunch of hairs off their brushes."

Ginny made a face. "That's gross. I hate when I have to clean my brush. Why on earth would you do that?"

"So the trees would know who to attack."

Her brow furrowed. "Come again."

"When I left the tent to come back here I walked the exact path we came by the first time. And the first two trees that I had to push a branch out of my way I tied one of their hairs to it. Then I put an Animation Charm on the tree. The hair is the trigger for it. Anyone else can touch those trees and nothing will happen; but when _they_ do, the spell will activate and the tree will think they're attacking it. They're going to think the whole forest is full of whomping willows.

Ginny grinned manically at him. "Harry, you're a bit scary sometimes. Brilliant, but scary."

Harry grinned back. "Steal that from Ron?"

"Pretty much," she answered. "You do realize they're going to be pissed at you."

Harry shrugged. "So. Besides, they're going to blame you as much as me. Heck, Bill will probably blame it all on you."

Ginny opened her mouth, closed it again, and muttered, "Wonderful."

"I say we leave ambushes all over the place for them," Harry said.

"Except that we're suppose to be hiding. When we do this for real we don't want to advertise that someone's been through the area."

"Well yeah," Harry said, "But if our lives are going to be a living hell the next few days I don't see why we can't take a shot or two at them."

Ginny considered. "Sure, if we aren't running for our lives."

"Metaphorically speaking," Harry said.

"Right," Ginny agreed.

"So do I get to hear about your wards now?"

Ginny launched into an explanation of what she'd done so far and finished with, "I was going to stop there but I think I want to add some kind of expanded Bubble-Head Charm to them."

"What for?" Harry asked.

"Well," she said. "The illusion keeps them from seeing us, but it doesn't do anything to prevent them hearing us if we're talking. And if we have a fire or cook something it's going to smell. It will lead them right to us."

"Good idea," Harry said. He glanced at his watch and patted her arm. "Come on, we've got half an hour to get that done before they come looking for us."

Ginny gave him a quick squeeze, sat up and crawled out of the tent. Harry followed her, careful to zip the door closed again. "Don't want bugs in the tent," he said when she gave him a curious look.

"Right," she agreed.

"So, Bubble-Head Charm?" he asked.

Ginny nodded. "I think it can be expanded big enough to set just inside the illusion ward."

"It needs some kind of anchor," Harry said. "Usually it seals around your neck. You take your wand, draw a line around your neck and then from front to back over the top. Then it just kind of fills in like a big soap bubble."

Ginny nodded. "So how about a ring of stones?"

Harry considered. "Let's try sticks. They'll be lighter and quicker to gather."

"Ok," Ginny agreed.

"Only pick them from the ground," Harry said. "If we break something off a tree or cut a tree down they'll know we've been though here."

Ginny nodded. "And let's make sure to erase any tracks or anything we've left outside the wards. Gather as much as you can so we have firewood too. After this, we should only enter or leave this place by apparating."

"Good idea," Harry agreed. "But where do we apparate to? We could end up plunking ourselves down right in their laps."

"Good point. Once were done here we should go set up a safe ward. We'll put these same wards on it. That will make it as safe as this place, which is about the best the two of us can do right now."

"Where do we put it?" Harry asked.

"Let's put it out on the big beach rocks. From inside the ward we'll be able to see if they're around before leaving them. And being on the rocks like that we can walk off them anywhere we want and there won't be a trail left to lead them back to the safe ward."

"We should never walk into it either," Harry said. "Because walking from the forest to it could leave a trail of mud or something."

"Right," Ginny agreed. "Campsite is apparate only; no walking in or out. Safe ward is apparate in, apparate out, or walk out but don't walk in."

"Agreed," Harry said. "Let's get the wood and that charm set. Then we should be safe for at least a day or so in here. We can figure out what else we're going to do once that's done."

Fifteen minutes later they had a large pile of sticks and small logs for their campfire and had arranged a series of the longer sticks end to end in a crude circle around their campsite. "Ready to try?" Ginny asked.

Harry nodded. "But let's try that power sharing charm we read about. You set the charm cause your better at it than I am. I'll feed my power into you so you don't end up exhausted."

"Ok," Ginny agreed. She walked to the circle of sticks they had arrayed on the forest floor, bent and touched her wand to the first. "All right, lover boy," she said. "Show me what you've got."

Harry smirked at her. "You know, that could be taken to mean something entirely different than what you actually meant."

Ginny smiled innocently back. "Harry, how do you know I didn't mean both?"

"The same way you know I won't actually take you up on it. Ready?"

"Anytime, luv."

Harry pointed his wand at Ginny. "Eque qui teneam in corde ut exsequámur consurgere quod solum potuit."

Ginny gasped in wonder with the stream of light that splayed from the end of Harry's wand to her chest. "Whoa," she managed.

Harry broke the spell off. "What's it like?" he asked.

"It's amazing, Harry," she gushed. "It's like… like," she said, struggling to find an appropriate analogy. "It's like the sun decided to shine for me alone."

Harry grinned. "The book said it was generally a pleasant experience. And the stronger the feelings of the person sharing their magic for the recipient, the more pleasant it's suppose to be."

Ginny smiled at him. "Well, if I had any doubts about your feelings they're certainly gone now."

Harry frowned. "You have doubts about how much I care about you?"

"I have lots of doubts, Harry. You may have killed the bit of Tom that was in that diary, but I still have an inner demon of my own. I'll give you one guess who he sounds like now."

"Come here," he said quietly as he stepped to her. Harry wrapped his arms around her and tucked her head under his chin. "I've said it before, Gin, I believe in you. Don't ever forget that."

Ginny hugged him back. "Thank you, Harry."

"Welcome."

Ginny stayed there for another moment or two before she sighed and pulled away. "As nice as it is to have you hold me, I think we better finish these wards."

Harry sighed too. "Sometimes I wonder why I let Bill talk me into leaving my aunt's house." He pointed his wand at her again. "Ready?"

"Always."

Harry smirked and cast the Power-Sharing Charm again. "I think next time I wanna be on the other end of this."

"Forget it, Harry. I'm quite happy with this arrangement."

"You're spoiled."

"I spoil you plenty. And when I'm not, Fleur is. So quit complaining."

"Yes dear," Harry mocked her.

"Be quiet now so I can concentrate."

Harry fell silent as he watched Ginny work the charm. "Nice job, Gin," he said when she closed the bubble over them and broke the spell off."

Ginny sagged. "Whew, that was a lot after the other wards. Thanks for the help."

"Welcome. Why don't you rest a bit and I'll get the rest of this set up."

"I thought we both needed to know how to do everything."

"Yeah, Harry agreed, "But I don't think you need to help me organize our stuff and get a sleeping bag out. You can help me figure out the camp stove when we're ready to make some tea."

"Ok," Ginny said. She found a nice spot and sat down with her back against a tree. She watched Harry as he went through both their packs and organized their things.

"He's a bloody idiot if he thinks I'm not shrinking this down," Harry said. He waved his wand over one of the packs and tossed it to Ginny. "Here, keep this in your pocket." He shrunk the second pack down and stuffed it in his pocket.

"We're sharing a sleeping bag too?" Ginny asked.

"We're not sleeping at the same time, Gin," Harry reminded her. "Besides," he teased, "I thought you kind of liked falling asleep next to me."

Ginny coloured slightly. "I do. But that's on the couch with Bill and Fleur right there or out on the rocks by the ocean. It just seems a bit more intimate than I'm comfortable with; crawling into a sleeping bag with you for the night out here where we're completely alone."

Harry rocked his head back and forth. "I suppose."

"You aren't bothered by it?"

"If one of us didn't have to keep watch, it makes sense. If we have to bug out of here before we can get the tent down or the bag packed; at least we won't lose them both. Beyond that, I kind of figured that anything _proper_ about our relationship went out the window the night you told your family you'd shag me if you wanted, and they damn well better keep their noses out of it."

"So no."

Harry shook his head. "Nope."

Ginny shook her head. "I honestly can't believe I'm having this conversation with you. This has to be the oddest friendship ever."

Harry grinned. "Haven't you figured out there's nothing normal about me yet?"

Ginny heaved herself to her feet. "You can bloody well say that again. Ready to go set up our safe ward?"

"Yep. What do you think about setting up two?"

"Maybe," Ginny said. "I'm pretty knackered from this one as it is."

"I'll set it up. You rest and make sure they don't see us doing it."

Ok," Ginny agreed. "To our spot?"

Harry took a deep breath. "Yep. And keep low. He let his wand slip from the holster to his hand. Ginny followed his lead. "Together?" he asked.

She stepped close and turned her back to his, pressing against him. Harry found her free hand with his. "On three," she said. "One, two, Now!" Two resounding pops later they landed in a crouch on _their_ beach rock.

* * *

"Did you hear that?" Bill asked.

"Yes," Fleur said. "It sounded like someone apparating. But I am not sure in which direction the sound came from."

"Me either," Bill sighed. "I wonder which one of them came up with this bloody fog."

"I would bet, Ginevra. She is downright nasty when she wants to be."

"I won't argue that. But Harry can be just as bad when he wants."

"Yes," Fleur agreed. "But a Bludgeoning Curse on the tent flaps? It seems much more your sister than Harry. Be careful, it is slick here and your ankle is only just set."

"Maybe, but a fog like this takes a ton of power. I'm not sure Ginny's got that much juice yet."

"I think you are correct about that," Fleur agreed. "She is not at Harry's level, but it is not insignificant."

"She's matching me and she's only fifteen," Bill said. "If theory holds, she'll double her power level by the time she's thirty."

"And if that thought does not terrify your brothers, then nothing will."

Bill chuckled. "They're already terrified of her. Even Charlie's afraid of crossing her."

"It is entertaining to watch her dealing with him."

* * *

After spending another two hours setting up not one but two different safe wards along with a number of other traps for Bill and Fleur to wander across Harry and Ginny returned to their campsite to rest for a bit and get a bite to eat. Harry pulled his shrunken pack out of his pocket and dropped it at his feet before he wearily sat down. Ginny flopped down on the ground and laid back with her arm over her eyes.

"Ok," she eventually said, "Wards are brutal. Even with you funneling your magic into me."

Harry shook his head and enlarged his pack. "You can say that again." He pulled four of the MREs out of the pack and eyed them warily. "You want tuna and crackers, chicken a la king, salisbury steak, or omelet with ham and cheese?"

"Umm, I think none of the above," she answered without looking at him.

Harry tossed one of the packets at her. "Tuna and crackers it is then. Me, I'm havin' steak."

"Like hell," Ginny retorted. She snatched the packet from Harry's hands. "You know I hate tuna."

Harry smirked at her and grabbed another packet. "Thought you weren't going to eat."

Ginny sat up and ripped her package open. "I'm bloody starving after all those wards. Hell, I might even eat tuna if it wasn't ten years old."

Harry grabbed the package Ginny had discarded and read the date on it. "You're in luck. This one is only nine years old." He offered it to her.

"Get that away from me." She did an all over body shudder. "Just the thought of what nine year old tuna smells like is enough to make me vomit."

"Here," Harry said. He handed her one of the Swiss army knives along with a k-bar. "You should probably keep those on you."

"Exactly where would you suggest?" she asked eyeing the k-bar.

Harry grabbed his and undid the velcro straps on the sheath. He pulled up his pant leg, wrapped the straps around his calf and settled the knife in place. As a precaution against loosing it, he cast a Permanent Sticking Charm on the straps before pulling his pant leg down again. "Want me to tie your shoes for you too?" he teased.

"I think I can manage," Ginny retorted dryly. She quickly strapped her k-bar to her leg before opening her Swiss army knife and using it to slit open the main pouch from her MRE. She spread it open wide, and peered in before giving a cautious sniff. "Smells edible," she said. She offered it to Harry. He ventured a sniff before sticking a finger into the packet. "Hey!" Ginny exclaimed and snatched it back.

Harry ignored her and stuck his finger in his mouth. He continued to ignore the expectant look on her face and opened his pouch. "Wha?" he asked around a mouthful of chicken a second later.

"Is it ok?"

He shrugged. "I've eaten worse." He spooned out another mouthful. Ginny watched him, searching for some sign that he was about to die of food poisoning. "Actually," Harry said. He triggered the release on his wand and cast a Warming Charm on his lunch. When he was satisfied that it was warm enough he tried another bite. His head bobbed up and down while he chewed. "Not you mum's, but beats the hell out of any chicken a la king my aunt ever made." He trained his wand on Ginny's lunch. "There," he said. "Give it a try."

Ginny eyed him for a moment longer but eventually took a cautious bite. A second later she nearly gagged.

"Bad?" Harry asked. Ginny simply nodded and set her packet down. Harry frowned, picked it up and tried a bite. Ginny waited expectantly for confirmation that it was horrendous. He swallowed, shrugged and handed over his chicken. "Here, try this."

Ginny eyed it. "Do I have to?"

"Eat," Harry said. She took the pouch and tried a small bite. "Ok?" Harry asked after she swallowed.

She handed it back. "It doesn't make me want to puke."

"You eat it," Harry said. "I'll eat the steak."

"Harry, that's disgusting. You don't have to trade with me."

"Eat, Gin," Harry answered. "I don't mind."

"Harry," she protested, "it's horrible."

"It's better than what I ate growing up; so I'll eat it. You can eat the chicken; so eat it."

Ginny considered for a second longer. "You're sure."

"Positive."

She gave him a small smile. "You're a gem, Harry."

He smirked. "Emerald, right?"

She blushed. "Yeah." She shifted over to lean against him and they fell silent as they ate.

When Harry was done with his steak, he fished through the rest of the packets that had been in his MRE. "What have you got left?"

Ginny sorted through hers. "A couple cookies, a chocolate bar, dried apricots, some drink mix and coffee"

"Graham crackers, M&Ms, dried apples, a drink mix and coffee," Harry answered. "You wanna trade anything?"

"I don't really like apricots all that much," Ginny said.

"Then take the apples." Harry handed them to her.

"Do you even like apricots?"

"Don't know, never had them."

"Harry, you don't have to give me everything out of your lunch because I don't like what's in mine."

"Gin," Harry said, "My aunt and uncle were either starving me or feeding me the cheapest, grossest, nastiest, thing they could find at the market. I didn't know what good food was till I went to Hogwarts and that's nothing compared to your mum's cooking. I can eat anything. You on the other hand have never eaten crap. So it's a lot harder for you to eat this stuff. But whether you like it or not, you need to eat. And out here, like this, it's my job to take care of you. If that means letting you have everything out of my lunch that you can eat, than I'm going to. And beyond any of that, I kind of like taking care of you cause it seems to make you happy, and I like it when I do something that makes you happy."

Ginny smiled and her eyes glistened. "Harry, you're the most absolutely wonderful person I have ever known."

Harry grinned back. "I kinda like you too," he said before pulling her down to lie with her head on his chest.

"Shouldn't we be figuring out what to do next?" she asked.

"I'm thinking about it," Harry answered. "I'll let you know when I've got something; probably take a half hour or so though."

Ginny snuggled in. "Lovely," she sighed.

It was about twenty minutes later that they both bolted up with their wands drawn. "WILLIAM!" Fleur's shout echoed through their campsite.

"PETRIFY THE BLOODY THING!" Bill's voice followed.

"Sounds like they found one of your trees," Ginny whispered in the silence that followed.

Harry grinned. "Right about when I figured they would." They stiffened again.

"HARRY POTTER AND GINEVRA WEASLEY," Fleur's amplified voice crashed through the forest. "I AM GOING TO THRASH YOU BOTH TO WITHIN AN INCH OF YOUR WRETCHED LIVES!"

"She sounds a bit angry with you," Ginny observed.

"Ya think," Harry retorted. He knocked her on the head with his wand, and then himself, disillusioning them both. "Come on," he said. He grabbed his pack and pulled her by the hand to the opposite side of their wards from where he knew Bill and Fleur were.

"Where are we going?" she hissed. "We're not supposed to walk out of this place. It'll leave tracks."

"Right," Harry answered. Before she could blink he apparated them both to the top of the cliffs overlooking the bay.

"Bloody Hell, Harry," Ginny shouted. "You could give a girl a bit of warning!"

"Sorry," Harry said again. He waved his wand over his throat and turned so he was overlooking their campsite far below. "ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR, MS. DELACOUR!"

"I'M GOING TO WRING YOUR NECK, POTTER!"

"LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, SIR!"

"UNLIKE GINEVRA, I WILL CARRY OUT MY THREAT, HARRY!" Fleur shouted.

"HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A NICE DAY," Harry retorted. "YOU MIGHT WANT TO BE CAREFUL OUT HERE THOUGH. IT SEEMS THE AREA'S BEEN BOOBY TRAPPED. WE HAVE TO GO NOW. BUT DON'T WORRY ABOUT US. WE'LL BE SURE TO LET YOU KNOW WE'VE BEEN AROUND!" Harry canceled the Sonorus Charm and turned to Ginny.

She just shook her head. "Forget scary, you're insane."

"Am I still brilliant?" he asked.

"Bloody brilliant," she said. She turned and surveyed the bay for a few moments. "How the hell are we going to find this thing?"

Harry shrugged. "My bet is the caves in the sea cliffs."

Ginny turned to look at the aforementioned cliffs. "So what, we just start wandering through them? Talk about sitting ducks."

"Well why don't we start with some Detection Spells?"

"Sure," Ginny agreed. She held her wand out level, cast the spell and swept her arm from the tip of the bay on their right to the other end on their left. Her wand emitted a low warbling tone across the whole sweep of the bay. She dropped her hand. "Gee, there are pretty much magical traces everywhere. Why am I not surprised?"

"I didn't hear you offering a better idea," Harry retorted. He set off towards the cliffs anyway.

"Where are you going?" Ginny called.

"To the cliffs," he called back.

"Why? I barely got any kind of signal from that area."

"Exactly," Harry called back.

Ginny dropped her head. "Idiot," she berated herself before hurrying to catch up to Harry.

"Figured it out, did you?" he asked when she caught up to him.

"Sorry," she said.

Harry took her hand. "S'ok. Only one of us is allowed to be brilliant at a time. You can have tomorrow." He cast a glance her way and grinned.

Ginny smiled back. "Thank you, Harry. I was being a real twit."

Harry squeezed her hand. "Welcome, Gin."

"You wanna sleep first or stand watch?" Harry asked.

"Do we really have to stand watch?" Ginny groaned. Harry arched an eye. "I know," she sighed. "I'm just bitching."

"I have no comment," Harry answered.

"A wise decision," she retorted. She glanced at her watch. "Assuming my demented brother and his harpy leave us alone tonight, when do you want to get up tomorrow?"

Harry shrugged. "We should each get three or four hours."

"Four it is," Ginny said. "Go sleep, luv. I'll take the first watch."

"You sure?" Harry asked.

Ginny nodded. "I'm awake now. I won't be if you try and get me up again in four hours."

"All right," Harry agreed. He stood, stretched, and leaned down to give her a hug before heading for the tent. "Wake me if you need me."

"I will."

"K," Harry yawned. "Nite, Gin."

* * *

"We are going to leave them alone, no?" Fleur asked.

Bill nodded. "For tonight. They've done pretty well today so we'll let them sleep. Besides, after a broken ankle and getting my ribs busted up by a tree, I could use the rest. If they're going to cash for eight hours then I say we do too."

"We are not standing a watch are we?"

Bill shrugged. "I hadn't planned on it. But after today I'm starting to reconsider."

"Well stop," Fleur said. "Because I have plans for you." She gave him a come hither smile.

Bill grinned. "My mother warned me about girls like you," he teased.

"Oh?" Fleur asked. She stepped to him and gave him a searing kiss. "And what did she tell you about girls like me?"

Bill shook his head trying to regain his senses. "Don't remember," he growled and apparated them both to their room.

* * *

From inside the safety of their campsite, Ginny slowly walked the perimeter, trying to stay awake. She still had three hours left before it was her turn to sleep. As she walked, she turned the day over in her mind again and again.

She and Harry had spent nearly seven hours searching the sea cliff caves for some sign of the hidden _horcrux_ with no luck at all. Still, Harry's idea of searching where magic detection charms returned little to no reading at all seemed the way to go. And if she thought about it, Bill had been hinting all summer about where to look when he talked about curse and ward breaking. According to him there were two routes people usually went when they wanted to hide or protect something with magic. The first was not to hide it at all. Instead you put such a tangled web of interlocked spells on it that it was essentially impossible to unlock them without triggering one or more and getting yourself killed. According to him this always failed in the end because there is always someone smarter who would eventually figure it out. And failing that, blind dumb luck.

The second method revolved around first hiding what you wished, then doing your best to remove any trace that it even existed in the first place. Usually, there were a few carefully selected protections or curses that were also hidden with the item. Bill reported far more curse breakers were hurt or killed by this method than the first. And she somehow thought this was the way Bill had gone with his _horcrux._ She paused for a moment as she considered the third option; hiding something in plain sight. Bill said, that it was by far the most difficult to accomplish. But if it was well done, it was also the most difficult to figure out.

 _No,_ she thought and resumed her trek to nowhere. _I don't think he went that route_.

Still, she wondered if a cave was too obvious. Should they be looking in the forest, or maybe the marsh? She supposed simply tossing something into the sand dunes and letting wind and time bury them was a pretty good option. Of course you'd never find it again yourself, because sooner or later a storm would come up and the sea would carry your trinket away for the merpeople to find.

And what were they looking for anyway? Voldemort could have made his Horcruxes from anything. She highly doubted all of them were diaries. Bill said they usually were objects of some significance to the owner. He said Dumbledore had been looking for years and had a few theories he would share when they all returned from France. And then, how many had he made. Dumbledore and Bill were of the guarded opinion he'd made seven; the most magical number. Ginny was certain of it. Nine months of being possessed by the bastard gave her an insight to how his mind worked that no one else could begin to fathom. The diary was one, and there were six others. She was convinced of it. She'd bet her life on it. More significantly, she'd bet Bill or Fleur's lives on it. She'd bet Harry's life on it. All of which did her no good whatsoever in finding Bill's _horcrux._

Ginny sat down and dug one of the chocolate bars she had left over from her lunch and dinner out of her pocket. Two hours to go, and a sugar high might allow her to actually stay awake for it. As a precaution, she set a recurring alarm on her watch for every twenty minutes. If Bill had found them and decided to be nice because he was satisfied with their wards by not taking them down he'd change his mind in a second if he found them both sleeping.

"It has to be a cave," she mused quietly. It was obvious, but then that could be the point of it. Just like the fact that their campsite was a good spot to hide because it screamed, CAMPING HERE, a cave was a good spot to for Bill to hide his _horcrux_ because it screamed, _HORCRUX HIDDEN HERE._ Hiding something there was a bit like hiding in plain sight. People would pass it over simple because it was too easy.

The problem was there were dozens of caves on the cliffs. Some of them were little more than a few feet deep and others went back hundreds of yards. A few were even connected so that you entered one place and ended up exiting in another. And none of them were particularly easy to get too. You could either swim out and climb the cliff to them, start on the rocks and work your way to the cliffs, then cling to them as you worked your way across the cliffs to the cave of your choice, or you could set ropes at the top of the cliffs and lower yourself down. The last method saved you a swim and a climb up or out, but while lowering down to the caves was relatively painless you still had to climb back up.

Between setting three sets of wards more traps and snares for her brother and Phlegm, as Ginny referred to Fleur when she was unhappy about something her brother's girlfriend had done, and seven hours of climbing up and down the cliffs it had been an exceedingly long day. And, she glanced at her watch; she still had an hour before she could wake Harry. She sighed and heaved herself to her feet again. She made three laps of the campsite to get her blood moving again before stoking the fire.

As she watched the flames a thought occurred to her and she spent her last hour moving their supply of firewood as far from the fire pit as possible. It gave her something to do and the next time she stood watch she'd have to get up to fetch wood to feed the fire when it needed to be replenished. Finally, her watch alarm went off and mercifully her watch was over.

She quickly unzipped the tent and crawled in. She hesitated for a second before gently shaking Harry's shoulder. Tired as she was he looked so peaceful she hated to wake him.

"Harry," she said softly.

"Wzat?" he mumbled.

"It's time for your watch, luv."

Harry rolled over, stretched and rubbed at his eyes before resting his arm over them. "Already?"

"I'm afraid so."

He took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "K," he said and sat up. "Any problems?" he asked as he climbed out of the sleeping bag.

"No," Ginny answered. "They either haven't found us or Bill's decided our wards were good and left us alone."

Harry shoved his feet into his boots and did up the laces. "Oh, he found us. I'm sure of it."

"Probably," Ginny agreed. She kicked her shoes off, slipped into the sleeping bag and laid back on the ground.

Harry brushed the hair back from her face, letting his hand linger for just a moment. "Sleep well, Gin," he said and slipped out of the tent.

"Night, luv," Ginny answered as he zipped the tent back up. She sighed happily and snuggled down in the sleeping bag. There were bonuses to sharing one it seemed; even if they weren't in it together. It was warm, and it smelled like Harry. It was nearly as good as cuddling up to him on the couch or the beach and letting herself fall asleep.

* * *

Author's notes:

And our favorite couple grow ever closer while continuing to deny the truth. Though maybe not. They're both admitting they're quite fond of the other. Harry is just spouting the line he's in no place for a girlfriend and Ginny isn't interested in any of the boys at Hogwarts. One might wonder if there's some wiggle room in those statements?

Translation from the online translator. If you happen to speak latin, I'm sorry.

I share with you who I hold in my heart so that together we may accomplish that which alone we could not.

Eque qui teneam in corde ut exsequámur consurgere quod solum potuit


	11. Chapter 11

Author's notes:

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter XI**

 **Saves me the Trouble…**

* * *

All too soon Harry was gently shaking her shoulder. "Gin."

Go'way," she grumbled.

"Sorry, luv," you need to get up.

"How bout you come back to bed instead?"

"You have no idea how tempting that invitation is."

"Anything you want, Harry," Ginny said. "Name it and I'll give it to you."

Harry chuckled. "You're lucky I'm not the kind of guy to take advantage of that offer."

Ginny finally rolled to her back so she could see him. "Would that you were, you'd be the one to get lucky."

"I'm already lucky," he answered. He offered her a steaming mug. "I brought you coffee."

Ginny sat up and took it from him. She lifted it to her nose and inhaled deeply before taking a sip and sighing blissfully. "That's it," she said. "I am officially in love with you."

Harry smiled. "And tomorrow, you'll be officially in love with the next person who brings you coffee in the morning."

"Only if they have raven hair, wire rim glasses and emerald green eyes."

Harry shook his head and laughed. "Who are you and what have you done with my girl?"

Ginny pouted. "I'm not that bad."

Harry snorted. "I beg to differ."

"Oh come on."

"Gin," Harry said. "You're ornerier than a sphinx till you've been up at least two hours."

"Yeah," Ginny retorted, "well, you smell."

Harry gave her a light shove to the shoulder. "There's my girl," he teased. Ginny stuck her tongue out at him. "Come on," he said as he ducked out of the tent. "You've got a choice of French toast or pancakes for breakfast."

Ginny shucked her way out of the sleeping bag. "How about we just find some nice worms and fry them up instead, they can't be any worse." She shoved her feet into her boots and followed him out.

Harry dug a bite of pancake out of one of the pouches and held it out to her. "Come on, which do you want?"

Ginny sighed, steeled herself and put it in her mouth. "Well that was disgusting," she said. She grabbed a bottle of water and downed a third of it. Harry simply offered her the pouch of French toast. She took a bite and after a second took the whole pouch from him. "Thanks, Harry."

"Welcome," he said and dug into his pancakes.

Ginny watched him for a minute or two. "So are those better or worse than your aunts?"

"Worse," Harry answered.

"I don't understand how you can eat that."

Harry shrugged. "I've eaten worse and I'm hungry."

"I'm sorry, Harry," she said after a few seconds.

"For what?"

She shrugged. "For everything. Sorry you had to live with those nasty people. Sorry you've gone hungry. Sorry about Sirius, your parents; all of it."

"None of that is your fault, Gin."

"I know. But that doesn't mean I can't feel bad about it."

Harry consider for a second. "Thanks, I think."

Ginny put her hand on his leg. "Harry, no one deserves any of that. And you less than most. You're a wonderful, caring person. You deserve every bit of happiness you can find."

Harry cocked his head. "Maybe," he eventually said. "Canadian bacon?" he asked offering her another pouch. "It was the same in both so I'm afraid you're stuck with it."

Ginny ignored the pouch. "You're changing the subject, Harry."

"I heard you, Gin. And intellectually, I know you're right. But they spent ten years beating it into my head that I'm worthless. It's not easy undoing those formative years."

Ginny cocked her head. "Where on earth did that come from?"

Harry shrugged again. "Read it in a book that was on your shelf."

Ginny's brow furrowed. "Harry, I only have one book like that."

"Must have been the one I read then. Don't remember the title, but it had to do with the trauma children suffer in emotionally and physically abusive environments and how that trauma affects them when they grow up."

"You read that book?" she asked in disbelief. Harry nodded. "Harry," she said, "If Hermione knew you'd read that book and actually applied any of it to yourself, she'd be so happy with you she'd shag you on the spot."

"Well then," he quipped. I guess I'll make sure we're alone to let her know. Wouldn't want to be interrupted or anything."

Ginny giggled. "You keep your hands of her mister. You're already supposedly sleeping with me, and I don't take kindly to cheating boyfriends."

Harry ripped open one of the packages of Canadian bacon. "Hey, I'm just doing you a favor. You and her were the ones looking for a sperm donor weren't you?"

"Well yeah, but she's suppose to get Bill. You're supposed to impregnate me." Harry quirked an eye at her. Ginny turned scarlet. "Oh hell. I can't believe I fell for that."

"And will I be using a cup to do this, or will we be going about it the old fashioned way?" he teased.

Ginny kicked at his leg. "Oh shut up and give me some of that bacon."

Harry laughed and handed her the second package. "You might actually like this. It's pretty good." Ginny took the package and they ate in silence for a while before she noticed him watching her with a decided smirk on his face.

"Oh shut it, you."

"Didn't say a word."

"You didn't have to. You look just like Bill or Charlie when they know they've pulled one over on me."

Harry grinned. "You know, I can hardly wait to get back to he Burrow and for Hermione to get there. I can just imagine the look on her face when she finds out all about how you've arranged for Bill to impregnate her."

If Ginny had turned red before it was nothing to now. "Yeah," she countered, as she knew Harry was going to rat her out no matter what, "I can't wait to see her face when she finds out you were dumb enough to fall for it."

Harry stood up and dusted himself off. "And will that be before or after she shags me for reading her book. And how does it all fit around the various propositions you offer me to let you sleep in?"

Ginny stood up. "All I can say is when I do take someone to my bed, they better make sure they never stray from it. Because I _will_ turn my brothers loose on anyone who thinks they can cheat on me. And once my brothers are done with them, than I get them, and I swear they'll regret it to their dying day."

"When do I get them?" Harry asked.

"What if you are him?"

"I won't be," Harry answered with finality.

"Well thanks a lot, Potter," Ginny said sarcastically.

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

Ginny crossed her arms and glared at him. "Is that a fact?"

"Oh come on, Gin," Harry said with exasperation. "I meant that no girl I'm with will ever have to worry about me cheating on her."

Ginny grinned. "I know, but I had to have a go at you."

"You're a pain in the arse Weasley."

"Well," Ginny huffed, "I was thinking of asking you to be my boyfriend. But you can just forget about it now."

"Saves me the trouble of telling you, no," Harry retorted.

Ginny blinked. "Potter, you'll be lucky if you ever touch a girl half as good as I am."

* * *

Bill turned suddenly from the window he had cut into the wards around Harry and Ginny's campsite and threw his arms up in the air in exasperation. "Are you kidding me?" he demanded. "They're flirting about not asking each other out now. For the love of Christ they're already attached everywhere but the bloody lips! And I thought Ron was an idiot. He's got nothing on those two." He turned to Fleur. "Well?"

She shrugged. "With the way they behave one _would_ think the hormones would take over and they'd get on with it, wouldn't they"

"My point exactly," Bill fumed. "Those two give off more sparks than one of twins' everlasting fireworks. Bloody hell I get randy being around them and she's my bloody damn sister. I should be threatening to rip the kid's head off."

"Oh good," Fleur sighed with relief. "I thought it was just me. It is like the pheromones just ooze off them."

"I swear," Bill muttered if they don't get on with it, I'm gonna go spar."

"You would seem to be there already, Love." She turned back to the window. "Damn," she said.

"What?" Bill asked stepping next to her. "Don't tell me he's snogging her senseless and we missed it."

"No. They are gone."

"Shit," Bill sighed. "Gonna be a bitch finding them now."

"But we get to have a go at them when we do, right?" Fleur asked eagerly.

"You better believe it," he answered. He cast a series of detection charms. "They apparated out," he said.

"Wonderful," Fleur muttered. "Come, let's start at the cliffs." She set off and Bill followed.

"Saves' me the trouble of telling you, no," Bill grumbled. "I don't care if it was a joke. No one talks to my sister like that."

* * *

Harry bent down to adjust the position of his k-bar an instant before the Bludgeoning Curse streaked over his head. "Mother," Harry hissed and rolled to his feet. "GINNY!" he shouted.

"How did he?" Fleur muttered.

Bill didn't even blink as he started forward. "Kid has the most highly tuned sense of self preservation I've ever seen."

A hundred feet down the cliff face Ginny's head snapped up. "COMPANY, LUV!" Harry's voice came to her.

"Shit," she muttered. She used her legs to push herself as far back from the edge of the cliff as she could; straining to the very tips of her toes as she tried to see what was happening above. "I can't believe I let him talk me into this." A jet of purple and then orange light ripped over above and off into space.

"COME ON GIN!" Harry shouted.

"Stupidest plan ever," Ginny muttered.

Up above the cliff top Harry was caught in the open and obviously his Disillusionment Charm was no longer doing him any good. He returned fire into the woods where Bill and Fleur were taking cover behind the trees. For another few seconds he blocked, ducked, dodged, or countered the various spells Bill and Fleur sent his way… And then he got hit.

"Holy!" Bill said in disbelief.

"Dear God," Fleur gasped. She bolted forward a half second before he did.

"HARRRRRRYYY!" Ginny screamed in terror as he flew back over the cliff face.

"CAREFUL!" Bill shouted. He grabbed Fleur by the back of the shirt as they skidded to the edge of the cliff.

"I don't see him!" she cried.

Ginny apparated behind them and before either of them registered the noise she summoned their wands, bound them in magical ropes with gags and dropped them in an inglorious heap on the ground. She then rushed to the edge of the cliff. "Harry! Are you ok?"

"Little help?" he called.

Ginny's thundering heart slowed. Planned or not, she hadn't needed any of her acting skills to produce a scream of terror when he flew out into the air. "Are you hurt?" she asked worriedly. She found the rope he'd tied around his wrist and started pulling it up. A few seconds later she caught his hand and hauled him back up on the ledge. Harry flopped to his back breathing heavily and his face was distinctly pale. "Harry," she demanded, "what's wrong?"

"Think I might have dislocated my shoulder," he said.

She shifted around to his other side and made a quick slice of his shirt with her wand. One glance told her all she needed to know. "Think nothing. It is. Damnit, Harry. I told you this would happen."

"Would you just fix it please," Harry said through gritted teeth. "It kind of hurts."

She made a careful examination with her fingers before sitting up tall on her knees. "Ready?" she asked with her hands pressed firmly on his shoulder.

"Do it," Harry growled.

She took a deep breath, held it, and with all her weight did a quick compression down. There was a pop and Harry grunted painfully. "Shush," she whispered and brushed the hair out of his eyes. It was another minute of waiting while Harry carefully controlled his breathing before he began to relax.

"Ok," he managed. "That hurt."

"I'm sorry."

Harry grinned. "Not two seconds ago you were telling me, I told you so. Now you're sorry."

"I can do both, Harry. I hate it when you're in pain. And this was a bloody asinine plan."

"But it worked."

Ginny shook her head and smiled ruefully. "That it did."

Harry took a deep breath and pushed himself up. Ginny helped him and in a few seconds he was on his feet holding his injured arm tightly with the other. Together they eyed their two captives.

"I'd say these two are dead," Harry said.

"I agree."

"Wonder what dead buys us in this little game?" Harry asked. "Wanna let 'em up?"

Ginny waved her wand. "Not particularly."

It couldn't have taken more than two seconds for Fleur to scramble to her feet, embrace Harry, let him go and slap him across the face. "You frightened me to death, Harry, James Potter. What in the world were you thinking?"

Ginny shoved her away from him, stepped between the two and slapped her across the face. "If you ever hit him again that will be the least I do to you," she hissed. Harry and Bill's mouths dropped while Fleur turned scarlet with rage. "Oh please," Ginny mocked her. "Do you honestly think you can scare me with your _veela_ magic?" Fleur's nostrils flared as she glared daggers at the younger woman. "Try it," Ginny said with quiet anger. "I've seen fear. He lived in my head for nearly a year. And you are most certainly not him."

Harry finally managed to overcome his shock at Ginny's behavior. He caught her elbow and gently pulled her back. "Gin, it's not like she hasn't hit me before. I'm fine."

Ginny didn't yield to him. "That was not training, Harry," she said. "Dad always said men aren't suppose to hit women, no matter if they hit you first. But I don't have to allow it and I won't. I'll rip her to shreds if she ever touches you again."

"That's a big threat, Squirt," Bill said.

"It's not a threat, Brother dearest, it's a promise. And in case you've forgotten, my teacher is the most feared wizard of the last thousand years."

Bill stepped between the two women. "You'll have to go through me to do it."

Ginny's eyes never left Fleur. "I've got no problem with that."

Harry pulled a bit firmer on Ginny's arm. "Come on, Gin. Let's just go.

She let him slowly pull her away. "I'll break your hand Fleur," she warned. "And if that isn't enough to teach you, I'll crush it so no healer can fix it. And you," she focused on Bill. "You might be older, bigger, stronger and faster than I am. But I'm already as powerful as you. And if you think I won't or can't go through you, you are sadly mistaken."

"Gin," Harry said firmly. "Let's go… Now," he added when she continued to resist him.

She turned on him angrily. "Don't tell me—"

"Now," he cut her off. "You've said what you had to say." The two of them stood there staring each other down for some time before he reached out and took her hand. "Ready?" he asked. She nodded and with a crack they were gone.

"I am sorry," Fleur said quietly.

Bill turned and wrapped her in his arms. "Tell that to them and it'll be fine."

Harry took one step in their campsite and stopped. But for their tent and the one sleeping bag they hadn't left anything behind. As those were now smoldering ruins, it looked to have been a wise decision. He sighed. "Looks like Bill is ready to start playing for real.

"I'll be only too happy to _kill_ them again," Ginny growled.

"Come on," Harry said. "We can't stay here."

"Which one should we go too?"

"Neither," Harry answered.

"Neither?"

"No. Let's hope he hasn't found them yet so we can use them when we need to sleep."

Ginny nodded. "Good idea. Where do you want to go?"

"Let's go to the point out beyond the marsh. It's a pain getting there without apparating and we can see them approaching long before they spot us."

"See you there," Ginny said. She was gone in a blink and Harry followed just as quickly. He found a comfortable spot on the rocks that would give him something to lean on and allow him to see anyone approaching and carefully sat down.

"Is it bad?" Ginny asked.

"It's not good," Harry answered. "Gonna be sore for a few days."

Ginny knelt at his side. "Let me see if there's any other damage," she said. She held her wand an inch or so above his skin, closed her eyes and concentrated on the imaging spell Fleur had taught them. It took a few moments but a ghostly sort of vision, with soft tissues ranging from opaque to near transparent, while bone was a starkly contrasting solid white, began to form in her mind. Injuries glowed blue green.

"I think there's a small tear in the cartilage," she said quietly. "It looks like it's kind of flapped over in the joint. Can you lift your arm?"

Harry did so, there was a catch and his shoulder bloomed with pain. He dropped his arm and the pain hit again. He hissed painfully and clutched at his shoulder. It was a full minute before his breath came normally again. "That really hurts," he managed.

"Sorry," Ginny said. She opened her eyes. "So this is what it kind of looks like." She made a fist with one hand and then closed her other hand over it. "If this is your shoulder, the tear is in the middle of my palm. It's bent over backwards and it makes a little bump that you're rolling over every time you move it."

"Can you fix it?"

"I can try. But it's not going to feel good when I do."

"Are you ready to admit we're beat?" Harry asked. "Because Bill's trying to figure out if we're ready to start hunting for real. He isn't going to let me walk up to the tent so Fleur can heal this unless we're ready to quit."

Ginny shook her head. "No. But I'm not the one who's hurt."

Harry looked her straight in the eye. "I believe in you, Gin," he said. "Fix it so we can eat and start looking again."

Ginny blinked a number of times, her eyes stinging and a single tear slipped down her cheek. "Harry," she started and faltered.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said. "Just… thank you. Thank you for this summer and everything you've done for me. It's been the best four months of my life. Thank you."

"I wasn't aware I'd done much of anything for you. You're the one who doesn't have to be here. You're the one who's teaching me occlumency and legilimency. I should thank you for the best four months of my life."

"Harry," Ginny said. "I couldn't have done any of the things I've done this summer if you hadn't believed in me. And you saved my relationship with my mother and the rest of my family. Because I was going to leave. I know I would have kept my brothers, but they would never have forgiven me for doing that to Mum. Not even Bill. But I couldn't do it anymore. I thought I'd tried everything I could. And the funny thing is, you didn't say anything Bill hadn't said a hundred times before. It just, somehow it reached me when you said it."

Harry took her hand and squeezed. "I'm glad I could help."

Ginny squeezed back. "Me too, Harry. Me too." He grinned at her and she smiled back. "Hold still now and let me try and fix this."

Harry settled back against the rocks and closed his eyes. "K," he said. Ginny knelt at his side again and brought up the image of his shoulder in her mind once more. "Gin," he said.

"Yes?"

"Thanks for what you said earlier… To Fleur."

"You're welcome," she answered. "Here we go." Harry hissed and tensed painfully as Ginny manipulated her wand and pulled the joint apart in his shoulder. "Sorry," she said. Both their faces broke out in a sweat and Harry pushed himself back into the rocks trying to find retreat where none was available. "Just one more second," Ginny said. She twisted her wand and the little flap of cartilage in her mind and Harry's shoulder was coaxed back where it belonged. "Ok," she said letting her breath out. "Simple Healing Charm now." At the moment the tear in her mind's eye healed itself a soothing warmth flowed into Harry's shoulder.

"That's better," he sighed, his body sagging from the extreme tension it had been under.

"All better?" Ginny asked.

"Give me a few minutes," Harry said.

"It'll probably be sore for a week, but it shouldn't cause you to nearly faint when you use it now."

Harry gingerly rubbed at his shoulder for a minute or two before cautiously lifting his arm by degrees. His face screwed up painfully as he tested it. Ginny was right. He was going to hurt for a few days. He let his arm down to rest at his side. "It hurts, but I can tell it isn't injured anymore." He grinned. "You're brilliant, Gin. Thanks."

She settled down at his side, leaning back half on his chest and half on the rocks. "Who would have thought," she teased. "Little, Ginny Weasley, saving The-Boy-Who-Lived."

Harry snorted. "Not me, that's for sure."

"Watch it, Potter."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll undo what I just did."

Harry chuckled. "I surrender."

"A wise course of action," she said. She shifted so she could dig her pack out of her pocket. After she'd enlarged it, she dug two of the MRE's out. "You want me to heat water for tea or can I just use my wand?"

Harry shrugged. "Doesn't matter. It's wand water either way."

Ginny eyed the two mugs. "You're right. Might as well save the tea till we can get some from the well or one of the springs. No sense ruining the tea." She filled the two mugs from her wand and gave one to Harry. "Cheers," she said and raised hers.

"To disgusting water," Harry said and raised his glass. "Yuck," he said when he set it down. "I'm not sure it's worth staying alive to drink that."

"I'd say it's not worth staying alive to eat these things." She tossed the MREs on Harry's lap and dug her first aid kit out.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna wrap that shoulder and you're going to take a couple aspirin."

"Bossy thing, aren't you?"

"And you need a new shirt." She dug that out too and set it to the side. "Sit up," she ordered. Harry obligingly leaned forward, turned so his back was to her and sat with his arms braced on his knees so she could wrap the bandage around his chest and shoulder. She quickly worked the pattern Fleur had taught them for stabilizing an injury to the shoulder. Two wraps around the chest, up around the arm and shoulder twice, then the chest once, back to the shoulder and continuing back and forth till you ran out of wrap. She secured it in place, added a Sticking Charm and sat back. "All done."

Harry shifted, checked the movement of his arm and sat back again. "Thanks, that helps." She tossed his shirt at him and he quickly discarded what was left of the old one and tugged the new one on. "Aspirin." Ginny held her hand out. Harry rolled his eyes, but took them and popped them in his mouth.

"Anything else, Mum?"

"Yes. That is the last time I let you come up with a plan for when they find us."

Harry smirked and ripped open one of the MREs "Mmmm, tuna," he said.

Ginny turned white. "I'm not even trying that."

Harry took a bite. He chewed slowly for a second and swallowed with difficulty. "Good plan," he said. He eyed the package, sighed and dug out another bite.

"Like, hell," Ginny said she whipped out her wand and banished it. "Here, Salisbury steak," she said and handed him a new MRE.

"We haven't got extra food, Gin," Harry said.

"And we're not going to starve to death if we run out," she countered. "I can only watch you eat so many disgusting things so I don't have to. Lord knows why, but you seemed to like that one. You might as well enjoy your lunch."

Harry ripped the package open and settled back. "Thanks, Gin."

* * *

"How long before we're raised from the dead?" Fleur asked.

"Let's give them a few hours. Potter was holding his arm pretty carefully after she put the joint right. That kid barely feels pain. Unless I miss my bet, I think he may have paid with a bit more than just a dislocated shoulder for that stunt he pulled. If they're not back with their tail tucked between their legs asking you to heal it by then, it means we're still playing."

"He is far from finished," Fleur said. "He got up twice after Charlie hit him. You barely managed it once."

"Potter was wearing Sparing Charms the first time," Bill protested. "And I took at least a dozen other shots before he really caught me."

"And what excuse do you have for Ginevra dropping him with one shot where you could not?" she teased.

"Harry had already busted him in the head three or four times and Ginny busted those ribs after Potter had already separated them. He was completely fresh when I took my first shot."

"Well perhaps we will arrange for her to try when he is fresh again. Or perhaps I shall try my luck."

"Good luck," Bill said. "I'm not sure even a vampire or a werewolf could drop Charlie with one shot."

"There is always someone," Fleur said.

"True," Bill agreed. They fell silent for a few minutes. "I still can't believe he ducked that first spell."

"It is like he had eyes in the back of his head," Fleur agreed.

* * *

"Back to the cliffs?" Ginny asked.

"Unless you've got a better idea."

"No," Ginny said. "Let's go." She placed her back against Harry's and drew her wand. "Just in case they've found our safe wards too."

"Should we disillusion?"

"Why? It's obviously useless against them."

"My cloak?"

Ginny considered. "No. I'm kind of itching for a fight

"She really pissed you off, didn't she?"

"No one hits you, Harry," Ginny said. "Can we go now?"

"On three," Harry agreed.

"One," she said.

"Two," Harry said.

"Go," they said together.

"Clear?" Harry asked a few seconds later.

"I think so. Detection Charms?"

"Not reading any human life."

"How long's it been since we left them?" Ginny asked.

"Don't know; an hour. Maybe a bit more."

"Back to where we were?"

"Let's run a quick warning thread first," Harry said.

"Ok," Ginny agreed. "You lead. I've got your back." They stepped out of the safe ward and moved quickly to the cover of the trees. Once they reached them, Harry touched his wand to one and ran a spider thread thin strand to the next and so on down the line for a hundred yards or so. He had just turned for the cliffs again when he asked, "What was that, Gin?"

"Don't move," Ginny said. Harry frowned. Her voice sounded odd and very strained.

"Misstressss," a different voice said. Harry stiffened.

"Leave him alone." Ginny said.

 _Oh shit,_ Harry thought.

"Assss you sssay."

Harry slowly turned around to see Ginny staring straight at a rather smallish snake of maybe a meter in length. It was coiled within a foot of him and it was turned to face Ginny. One glance at the shape of its head told him it was poisonous. "Gin?"

The snake swiveled around to look up at him. "Both ssspeak the language?" it hissed.

Harry resisted the urge to jump out of range of the creature and its deadly fangs. "I won't hurt you," he hissed. "Pleassse don't bite me."

"Pleassse move away from him," Ginny hissed. The snake swayed for a second longer before lowering itself to the ground and moving back from Harry. "Forgive me," the snake hissed. "No harm will come to onesss who ssspeak the language."

"Thank you," Harry said. He took a cautious step towards Ginny.

"Ssshe isss the massterss'ss mate?"

"No," Harry answered. He wrapped his arm around Ginny, as, with him now safe, she had gone distinctly pale.

"But ssshe sspeakesss the language alssso.

"We're friendsss," Harry answered. "Easssy, Gin." She tensed against him. He tightened his hold. "I've got you." She nodded shakily.

"Friendsss," the snake asked. "The othersss are your friendsss alssso? Do they ssspeak the language?"

"No," Harry answered. "But pleassse don't bite them either."

The snake shifted from looking at Harry to Ginny. She went from stiff to rigid, feeling as if she'd bolt any second. "Thisss isss what the Missstresss wissshesss alssso?"

Ginny inclined her head. "Yesss."

The snake dipped its head. "Asss isss wissshed it ssshall be. I will ssspread your commandsss." It turned to go.

"No!" Harry said.

The snake swiveled back to him. "Massster?"

"Tell no one we were here."

"Yesss Massster." The snake turned to go again.

"Wait," Harry said. Once more the snake turned back.

"There is another who ssspeaksss the language. You will know him if he comesss. He isss evil itssself. Hide from him, and if you would choossse ssso, die before telling him you ssspoke to usss"

The snake swayed. "There isss no choossse. My kind is bound to anssswer the command of any who ssspeak the language. If he asssksss, I mussst ssspeak." Harry frowned. He didn't know if it was possible to obliviate a snake, and he really didn't want to kill it if he didn't have to. He was the one who'd nearly stepped on it after all. He could hardly blame it if it had bitten him.

"What if I command you not to ssspeak of usss?"

"Commandsss mussst be anssswered as they are given. Order sssilence and it isss given to death before another can command that I ssshould ssspeak."

"Then I order you not to ssspeak of ssseeing usss here to any who ssshould come and asssk."

"And thisss, ssshould I passs to thossse who are here?"

"Do they know we ssspeak the language?"

"No."

"Then tell no one; be they your kind or mine. You sssaw no one. You did not ssspeak with any of usss. We sssimply do not exissst.

The snake swayed slightly. "Ssshall I ssserve you in any other way, Massster?"

"No," Harry answered. "Pleassse go on your way."

The snake dipped its head. "Asss the Massster and Missstresss wisssh it ssshall be." Without another word it turned and slithered into the brush. Ginny sagged against Harry the second the snake was gone and didn't offer even the slightest protest when he simply picked her up and apparated her to one of their safe wards. Somehow, despite his injured arm, he managed to get himself seated without putting her down. She clung to him as he cradled her to his chest, shaking uncontrollably.

"You didn't know, did you?" he asked while gently rubbing his hand on her back. She shook her head. "It doesn't mean anything, Gin."

"Doesn't it?" she whispered.

"Does it mean anything that I can speak Parseltongue?"

"It's different."

"How?"

"Because it's you, Harry. You're supposed to be different, to be special, to be his equal. Me, I'm just some little girl who read a diary, opened the chamber, set a basilisk on the school and nearly killed a bunch of people."

"You're the extremely intelligent, exceedingly brave, and loyal girl who happens to be my best friend. The girl who just used one of her gifts to save my life, Gin," Harry countered. Harry lifted her chin. "Thank you."

Ginny's lip trembled. "The sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin," she whispered.

Harry smiled. "Me too."

Ginny frowned. "Don't say things just to make me feel better, Harry. It doesn't help and I don't appreciate it.

Harry scowled at her. "I can't believe you think I'd actually lie to you like that. Thanks a lot, Ginevra."

Ginny managed to hold his eyes for a few seconds before looking away. It was right there, impossible to miss if you knew him at all. And she did know him; better than anyone. And the level of anger he was projecting right now was laced with hurt. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Thank you."

She turned back to him. "How did you end up in Gryffindor then?"

"How did you?" he countered.

"I begged."

Harry gave a little snort. "Me too."

"Did the hat say why it wanted to put you there?"

Harry shrugged. "Just said I'd do well."

"Me too."

"So can we stop beating ourself up now?"

Ginny nodded. "I can try."

"That's my girl," Harry answered.

Ginny considered him for a second. "What is it about you?"

Harry smirked. "I could ask you the same question." He gave her a gentle push. "Come on I don't want Bill finding this spot. We're gonna need it to sleep."

Ginny climbed out of his lap and stood up. "Back to the cliffs," she sighed. "She drew her wand and turned to scan the area outside the safe ward. "Fuck," she hissed. Harry turned and saw Bill and Fleur working a search pattern with their wands.

"They haven't found it yet," he said.

"He will. It took him less than a day to find our campsite."

"Can I trust you not to actually kill Fleur or do I need to take her this time?" Harry asked.

"Oh no, Potter," Ginny said eagerly. "She's all mine."

"All right," Harry said. He took a deep breath. "Ready?" he asked.

"Always."

"On three," Harry said.

"One," Ginny said

"Two," Harry picked up the count.

"Three," they said and apparated away.

A second later Harry smashed into an anti-apparation ward. He slid down it to a heap on the ground less than two feet behind Bill. "PROTEGO!" he shouted, blindly throwing up a shield spell. A Severing Hex slammed off the shield and ricocheted away. Harry rolled into Bill and caught his legs. He surged to his knees and lifted. Even as Bill rose Harry drove forward trying to bring him down hard enough to take the wind out of his opponent. He knew he had no chance against Bill in hand-to-hand combat but the disadvantage he'd been at had left him no option. Bill brought his elbow down and smashed it into Harry's injured shoulder just before he smashed down on his back with Harry's full weight on top of him. The air was expelled from his lungs in a painful rush.

Harry's vision swam as he tried to roll away from Bill. Bill caught his wrist. "I'm not done with you yet, Potter," he wheezed. Harry triggered the release on his wand but before he could get a spell off Bill caught his other wrist and rolled. Harry brought a knee up catching the older wizard in the solar plexus. Unfortunately it barely elicited a grunt from him. Just as Bill forced Harry to his back a Reductor Curse flew past his ear.

"Jesus," he swore. He rolled off Harry, twisting his arm around violently. Harry screamed in agony as his shoulder gave. Bill rose to his knees with Harry against him as a shield. "What now, little girl?" he taunted Ginny. He applied pressure to Harry's other wrist trying to force him to drop his wand. Harry held on till he was sure his arm was going to break before letting go.

"He's your only hope, Gin," Bill pressed. "You can't let me take him. You can't let me go cause I'm gonna run and tell Tommy boy all about this. He's going to wonder why you were here. You can't let that happen."

Ginny circled to her left and Bill turned to face her; always keeping Harry between them. Bill dropped the hold he had on Harry's wrist and clamped his arm around his neck.

"You can't hit me without hitting him."

"STUPIFY! REDUCTO!" Ginny snarled. Harry sagged in Bill's arms and as he slid down Ginny's second spell hit Bill square in the face. His head snapped back and he crumpled down on top of Harry. Works for me," she said to his unconscious form. She flicked her wand and Bill was tossed to the side. She knelt at Harry's side. "Enervate!" she said firmly.

Harry blinked his eyes open. "Remind me not to get on your bad side," he said when he managed to find his focus.

"Are you ok?"

"I think my shoulder is dislocated again. How did you beat Fleur? Didn't she have a ward up?"

Ginny used her wand to slice open his shirt so she could examine his shoulder again. "Yes, but I managed to block her first spell and when I swept her leg I think I dislocated her knee. She went down and I stunned her. It's definitely dislocated."

"Wonderful," Harry muttered. "Ok, put it back again."

"In a second. I wanna see if there's any other damage first. It would have hurt a lot less for me to fix that cartilage if I'd done it before I put your joint back in."

"Ok," Harry agreed. He pushed himself to his knees and Ginny helped him to his feet. "But let's get out of here first."

"Can you apparate?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah."

"Ok, go to our second safe ward. I'll meet you there."

"What are you going to do?"

"Wake Bill up so he can help Fleur."

"Right, see you in a minute."

"No problems?" Harry asked when Ginny apparated into the ward about 30 seconds later.

"I broke his nose when I took him out."

Harry smirked. "My girl," he said proudly.

Ginny smiled at him. "Ok, let's get you fixed up again. Ten minutes later, Ginny had repaired a torn ligament in his shoulder and put the joint back in again. This time she'd wrapped his arm tight to his side, immobilizing it.

"Are you ok?" she asked worriedly as she sat back. Harry was flat on his back on the ground, his legs bent at the knees with his feet flat on the ground. He was purposely breathing in slow steady breaths as he tried to control his body.

"Hurts," he answered

"I think we're going to just sit and let you rest for a while."

"Fine by me."

"You want a shirt?"

Harry shook his head. "Don't wanna move."

"Aspirin?"

"Yeah."

Ginny dug her first aid kit out and handed him three of the pills. Harry sat up enough to be able to take them. "Three?" he asked.

"Take it," Ginny ordered.

"K," he agreed and popped them in his mouth.

"Try and sleep. If we can get you some rest you'll be better."

"Thanks." Harry settled back to the ground and slowly relaxed. Ginny pulled a fleece jacket out of the pack and laid it over him. "Thanks," he said again.

"Just rest, luv. I'll keep watch."

Harry found her hand and laced their fingers together. "My girl."

Ginny smiled and brushed the hair back from his face. "Your girl," she agreed. She sat there for some time gently running her fingers through his hair, listening to the emotions he was projecting. "You're mental, Potter," she teased.

"Why?" he asked. "Cause I'm happy?"

"Yes."

"What's that make you then?"

"I'm not the one with a torn up shoulder."

"I could do without that."

"How bad is it?"

"Bad."

Ginny considered for a second. "You want the morphine?"

Harry thought about it. "Bill said we'd be useless for at least an hour after taking it."

"You need rest, Harry. You'll feel ten times better if you don't move that arm for eight hours or so."

"So, what? We're calling it a day now? It's not even six."

"We're in the field, Harry. We rest when we can. Fleur's gonna be down for at least as long as you. We should take advantage of that."

Harry thought about it for a minute. "Ok. But you're waking me up in four hours so I can stand watch."

"Ok," Ginny agreed quickly. She hadn't expected him to agree but if that was all it was going to take then she'd promise to wake him a hundred times over. Besides, she could always not do it once he was asleep. "Let me get it." She dug through her pack for her first aid kit and found the small package that Bill had showed them.

"Just pull that cap off, jab it in my shoulder and squeeze," Harry said when she'd sat eyeing it dubiously for about ten seconds.

"Right, then," she said. She pulled the cap off, exposing the inch long needle. "Muggles are insane," she said with wide eyes.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Harry said.

"Have you had this before?"

"No, but it's just like the shots we get as kids to keep us from getting sick."

"They stick children with these!"

"Gin," Harry said.

"What?"

"Just do it please."

Ginny eyed the needle for a second longer. "Ok, but I'll quit before I let you stab me with one of these."

"No you won't. Now would you get on with it already? My arm is killing me."

"Ok, Ok." Ginny lowered the needle to his arm. "Where?" she asked.

"Right in the muscle. Make sure you push it all the way in. And just do it fast. I won't even feel it."

"You're insane," Ginny said and pushed. Harry didn't even blink

"Is it in?"

"Yes."

"Squeeze it now. Make sure you get it all in. And don't wiggle the needle cause that'll hurt like hell."

"Ok," Ginny said. "All done."

"Pull it out."

She pulled the needle out and a small drop of blood pooled from the puncture. She quickly pressed his ruined shirt to it. "Is it working?" she asked.

"Give it a second," Harry answered. Less than ten seconds later he sighed blissfully. "Oh, yeah. Thasss nice."

"It worked?"

Harry smiled and his head lolled her direction. "No pain. Gonna shleep now." His eyes closed and he fell eerily silent.

"Harry?" Ginny asked alarmed.

"Fine, Gin. Gonna shleep."

"You're sure?"

"Shposhed to be like thish. Usehlesh."

"How do you know that if you've never had it before?" Harry didn't answer. Ginny shook him. "Harry."

"Wha?" he asked.

"How do you know it's suppose to be like this?"

"Sheen it. Can I shleep now?

"Ok," Ginny agreed slowly. Harry didn't respond and after a second she nudged him. That also got no response whatsoever. She watched him nervously but he seemed to be breathing just fine. She felt for his pulse on his wrist and it was strong and steady. She sat back slowly, unsure of what to do. Except for appearing to have swallowed a draught of Sleep of the Living Dead he appeared fine. Her eyes fell on the discarded morphine package. She picked it up and searched for any kind of description. "What the hell is this stuff?" she asked. The only thing on the package was the word morphine and a warning saying it was for medical emergencies only. That was certainly not comforting. She was contemplating going to get Bill and ask him what the hell he'd given them when Harry moved.

"Gin?" he asked. His hand searched blindly for her

"I'm here," she said, catching his hand.

"Don go way," he mumbled.

"Does your arm hurt?"

"No. Jus wanna shlleep."

"I promise, Harry. I'll stay here with you." Harry sighed and a few seconds later it was obvious he'd fallen asleep again. "I don't know how I'm gonna stay awake, Harry," she said quietly. "But I swear I won't disappoint you."

* * *

Author's notes:

Somehow I get the feeling wizards would be even more brutal in a training exercise like this. The ability to heal most anything within moments and be up and about fifteen minutes after breaking a leg would cause them to be less careful about not truly hurting someone. And imagine the damage they'd be doing without the Life Fire Charms!

And yep, H and G just become more and more protective/dependent upon the other.


	12. Chapter 12

Author's notes:

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter XII**

 **Tell Me You Love Me**

* * *

Three days and another half dozen run-ins with Bill and Fleur later, Harry nudged Ginny's shoulder. Ginny groaned. "It's time for your watch, Gin."

Ginny pulled the sleeping bag over her head. "Five minutes," she begged.

"I already gave you an hour."

Ginny pulled the bag down. "I've been asleep for five hours?" she asked.

Harry nodded. "Yep. Bill hasn't found us yet."

"Thank Merlin. Harry, you should have woke me. What time is it anyway? Wait a second!" she suddenly demanded. "How the hell did you end up with the first watch?"

"You fell asleep while we were arguing about it. And it's nearly 8:00pm."

"Damn it, Harry. You're the one who keeps getting hurt. You needed sleep more than I did."

Harry smirked. "While you're lying there yelling at me I'd like to point out that I'm still not sleeping."

Ginny shucked her way out of the bag. "I swear, Harry, you are the most infuriating man I've ever had the misfortune to know. And I don't care what you say, as long as Bill doesn't find us you're sleeping at least five hours." _He'll bloody well sleep till morning if I have anything to say about it,_ she added silently.

"Actually, I had an idea," Harry said.

Ginny drew her wand on him. "I don't care if you suddenly know where _Tom_ hid all of his Horcruxes. You are going to sleep, Harry."

"I just said I had an idea; not that I wasn't going to sleep." He eyed her wand warily. If two months squared of training against her hadn't taught him she waved a mean wand, then the past few days fighting with her at his side had.

"Get in the bag, Harry," Ginny warned.

"Ok, Ok," he said. He climbed in and settled back on the ground. "Can I tell you my idea now?"

Ginny put her wand away. "Only if you swear on your life to go to sleep after you do."

"How about I swear on your life?"

"My life?" she demanded.

"It's worth more to me than mine."

"Damn you, Harry," Ginny sighed. "How the hell am I suppose to stay angry with you when you say things like that?"

Harry grinned. "I told you. All I have to do is drop a compliment at the right time and you go from hellcat to kitten in a blink." Ginny scowled at him. "It only works cause I mean it, Gin."

"I don't know what I did to deserve you, Harry, but I'm glad I did."

"So I get to tell you my idea then?" he asked eagerly.

Ginny sighed. "Ok, let's have it."

"Knew you'd see things my way eventually," he teased.

"Don't push your luck."

"Have you ever read any Muggle fantasy epics?"

Ginny frowned. "That's a question, Harry; not an idea."

"I'm getting to it. Just answer the question."

"I'm not exactly sure. What's a Muggle fantasy epic?"

"How about Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit?" Harry offered as an example

Ginny nodded. "Yes. I've read tons of books like that. But you know Tolkien was a wizard, don't you?"

"I didn't," Harry said. "But that's not the point."

"Oh good, there is a point to this."

"And you think I need sleep," Harry said.

Ginny pointed her wand at him again. "Harry."

"Have you ever noticed there's always a waterfall in the story; and that there's always something behind it?"

Ginny's brow furrowed. "I don't," she began but then her eyes widened. "A cave! There's always a cave!" she said excitedly. "Harry, you're brilliant."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe. But we're going to find out."

"Yes, but you're going to sleep first."

Harry nodded. "I couldn't go now if I wanted. I'm practically a zombie. But I thought you might like to have something to cheer you up. Besides, I want to go when it's good and dark. Let me sleep till 1:00 and we'll go then."

"Ok," Ginny agreed. _If I happen to let that slide till three or four, he'll never know,_ she thought.

Harry yawned and settled back on the ground. "Don't even think about it," he said.

"I wasn't thinking about anything!"

"You were going to cast a Cushioning Charm for me," he accused.

Ginny blushed. "You are a bloody pain in the arse, Potter… I wouldn't actually have done it," she added.

"Well don't. He hasn't found us because we're not using magic."

"I said, I wouldn't have done it."

Harry smiled. "I appreciate the thought though."

"Get some sleep, Harry."

"Nite, Gin," he said through another yawn."

"Nite, luv," Ginny said. She watched him for a second before moving to the mouth of the cave they had sought sanctuary in the night before. Three days of relentless hunting by her brother and Fleur had left them without any warded areas left to hide in. The constant spell battles followed by frenzied searching of the cliffs and the myriad of caves in them along with a total of maybe ten hours sleep since starting their search four days ago had left them desperate for a place to rest.

She had hit upon the idea of hiding in one of the caves they had been searching. They picked the one Bill and Fleur had nearly trapped them in; hoping they wouldn't think that they would return there. And with the number of spells that had been cast in the area when they had fought their way out and once again _killed_ their hunters they hoped the trace magics left behind would cover the single new spell they had cast on the cave; a human life form masking ward. It was a simple ward that offered no protection from spells or anything else. All it did was mask the presence of the people in the cave. Hiding in plain sight had proved decidedly effective for five blissful hours.

As she settled in the entry to watch the sun set Ginny prayed for at least five more. Harry needed sleep. Desperately. Because after injuring his shoulder in the first two run-ins with Bill and Fleur, he'd also suffered a broken leg. And when he'd needed two hours minimum to rest it after she had knit the bones together he'd only gotten an hour before they were under attack again. He'd been limping terribly when they had finally crawled into this cave the night before. Beyond that, he had a number of cuts on his face and a black eye from where Fleur had caught him with a straight kick. By comparison, her list of woes was hardly worth mentioning. One cut on her cheek that Harry had healed so perfectly there wasn't a shred of a scar, and a black eye. Despite all of that, he had outlasted her by five hours.

"Stupid, noble prat," she muttered.

* * *

Harry eyed the last of three waterfalls in the bay with a sense of resignation. If he wasn't right about this he didn't know what they were going to do next. There were still one or two caves on the cliffs but he was fairly convinced that Bill hadn't hid his _horcrux_ there. He'd found somewhere else, and he was just too good for he and Ginny to find any trace of it.

"It's not all bad, Harry," Ginny said.

"Sorry?" he asked.

"We've managed to give worse than we got in this. And I think that might have been the real point of this."

"First," Harry countered, "if you think they weren't holding back, you're mental; and second, how do you mean it was the real point?"

Ginny hesitated for a second but decided she wasn't going to beat around this bush any longer. "Harry, I know they were holding back. But it's been less and less every time we run into them. And what I meant is when we went to the ministry this spring and those Death Eaters showed up, we were toast. The only thing we could really do was run. But now, we can stand and fight with them. That's what Bill really wanted to do with this. He needs to know we can take care of ourselves. If we actually manage to find the _horcrux_ then so much the better."

Harry considered and eventually conceded, "Maybe."

"We've still got time to learn, Harry. And now Bill knows we can handle ourselves. He can bring us with and trust us to watch his back while he figures where Tom hid them and how to get at them without getting anyone killed in the process."

Harry sighed. "Yeah, you're right."

She grinned. "Of course I am. And we may find it yet."

"And if we do then we only have to find a way of destroying it without getting killed," he muttered sarcastically. "Against your brother, I don't like our odds."

Ginny gave him a dubious smile. "Me either, Harry. Shall we?"

Harry started forward. "Time for another soaking," he sighed. Ginny followed him around the roiling pool at the base of the falls. "Careful," he said. He cast a Bubble-Head Charm on himself. They'd both slipped and fallen into the first falls. It had been a terrifying two minutes of being pounded against the rocks at the bottom of the pool. And they'd both nearly drowned before they'd managed to fight their way free. He didn't care to repeat the experience and this falls was a fair bit bigger than the first one was. Ginny cast her own charm and carefully stepped exactly where Harry did.

"Shit," Harry said a few minutes later.

"What?"

"The ledge is broke off."

Ginny peered past him. "Come on," she said and turned around. "Let's try the other side. Ten minutes later they were frustrated again. "Now what?" she asked. He couldn't have hid it here.

Harry stared at the broken ledge a frown on his face. "Don't you think it's a bit odd that there's no moss growing where the ledge is broken? I mean it's everywhere else but there."

Ginny gave the wall another look. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" she asked after a second.

"That he broke the ledge off to keep us from getting back there?"

"Was it like this on the other side?" Ginny asked.

Harry turned around. "I don't remember."

"Ok, so he didn't break this side," Ginny said when they'd made their way back along the other side of the falls again.

"He might not have broke the other side," Harry said. "It could have fallen on its own."

"Do you really believe that?"

"It's here, isn't it," Harry answered.

"Bet you a head massage."

"Since the other side of the bet is the losing end how about we just trade?"

"Deal," Ginny said. "How do we get back there?"

"I think we swim."

Ginny looked at the roiling water falling into the pool. "Bubble-Head Charm or not, I'm not sure I like that idea. So we don't drown, getting beat to death on the rocks doesn't sound any better to me."

"Me either," Harry said. He crossed his arms and glared at the falls irritably. "Come on," he said suddenly.

"What? Ginny cried. "Harry you can't seriously be going to try and swim through that."

"Yeah, I am."

"Harry, no! I won't let you. This is a dumber plan than throwing yourself off the cliff."

Harry chuckled. "Gonna stun me again, Gin?"

"I will if you try and swim through that falls. Where the hell are you going?"

"Back to the second falls."

"But I thought-"

"I think I saw some gillyweed in the shallows."

"Gillyweed?"

"Yeah, used it for the second task of the Tri-Wizard. I could swim as well as the merpeople with it." Ginny stopped dead. Harry turned back to her. "Coming? I've got a _horcrux_ to find."

"Harry," she said starting forward again, "you're amazing."

"I try," he said. He took her hand as she drew near and led the way back to the second falls. "There," he said after a minute of walking along the banks of the pool.

"Looks like someone's been here already," Ginny remarked.

"Curious that," Harry said. "Come on. Get two handfuls, we'll need it to get out again."

"Right," Ginny agreed.

In short order they had gathered enough Gillyweed for two trips through the falls and made their way back to the third falls. Harry kicked off his boots and socks and ditched his shirt."

"What are you doing?" Ginny yelped. She turned her back on him as he went to remove his jeans.

"I've got boxers on, Gin," he said, "not any different than seeing me in my swim trunks." Harry balled up his clothes, cast an Impervious Charm on them, shrunk them down and shoved them into the sheath with his k-bar. "Are you coming or not?"

Ginny cautiously turned around. "Harry, your boxers might be fine for that, but my knickers aren't."

"Not any different than a bikini," he countered.

Ginny blinked. "You're serious. You expect me to strip down to my knickers in front of you."

Harry grinned mischievously. "You're getting an eyeful, why shouldn't I?"

"Harry Potter! You did not just say that."

"Why not?"

"Because you're my friend. You're not supposed to look at me like that."

"Oh," he countered. "So you and Fleur get to admire the view but I'm not allowed?" Ginny's mouth flapped. "Leave your clothes on if you want, Gin. I don't want mine making it harder to swim and I don't want them all wet when we get behind the falls."

Ginny stared at him a moment longer before kicking her shoes and socks off. "I suppose you'll want to play healer next," she muttered. "And if you don't wipe that smirk off your face, I'll bust your jaw." Harry did his best to stop grinning and averted his eyes as she took her shirt and jeans off.

"Ok," she said a minute later. "Let's go." Harry turned for the water, keeping his eyes straight ahead. "What," Ginny demanded, "not even going to sneak a peek?"

"Nope."

"Oh for the love of Merlin just get your eyeful already."

Harry stuffed a handful of gillyweed in his mouth. "I'll pass," he said and dove into the water.

As if she'd been slapped Ginny's head cocked back. "Well, fuck you too, Potter," she said angrily and dove in after him. She could see Harry about ten feet ahead waiting for her. He turned back for the churning water under the falls as she started forward. She hurried to catch up. Harry made his way to the very bottom of the pool, struggling against the current of water rushing out from the falls as it pounded against the rocks. He swam along the length of it, stopped for a second to see if she was following and then surged forward through the pounding water. Ginny stopped for a second where he'd disappeared and gathered herself before making her own rush through the water. At the halfway point, the current changed and she went from fighting it to shooting forward to calmer waters on the other side. Up ahead, she could see Harry already turning for the surface. When she got there his hand was waiting to help her up on the rocks. He pulled her from the water and turned away from her. She glared daggers at his back but quickly followed his lead in drying himself off and getting dressed again.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yes."

"You're pissed at me," he said when he turned to face her.

"Maybe." She could see his jaw clench.

"I did see," he pointed out. "When I waited for you and when I helped you onto the ledge."

"But you didn't look. You didn't want to. Am I that ugly that you only looked because you had to?"

"You didn't want me to. I did everything I could to respect that."

"So you did want to look."

"Gin" he said exasperated. "I've seen you lying on your stomach in your bikini with the top undone so you don't get tan lines. Believe me, I've looked. And let me tell you, Fleur hasn't got anything on you."

"Then why didn't you look now?"

"I told you. You didn't want me to. Are you seriously going to throw a fit with me over this? A: I don't need to see you in your knickers to know you're gorgeous. And B: I respected your modesty. Why am I in trouble?"

Ginny scowled. "I don't know. I'm sorry, Harry. But whether a girl wants you to look or not, when she's standing in front of you in nothing but her knickers and you don't even peek, she's going to be hurt. It made me feel like you don't think I'm pretty."

Harry sighed. "Look, Gin, I kind of get that. Everyone wants other people to think they're attractive. But you can't have it both ways. You can't argue with me about getting undressed because you don't want me to see you in your knickers and then when you do, angrily tell me to go ahead and get my eyeful. I know you. If I had, I'd have been the world's biggest cad. It's not fair. Decide what you want and I'll do it. But don't behave one way and get angry with me for adjusting my behavior accordingly."

Ginny bowed her head. "You're right, I'm being a bitch. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," Harry said. "Now would you mind if we got moving? Because if your brother didn't have some kind of trigger in place to tell him we'd managed to get past the falls, I'm dumber than Crabbe and Goyle. I'd like to get this thing and get out of here if we can."

"Oh, I'm afraid that won't be happening," a voice said.

Harry and Ginny spun around to face the new threat. An instant later Harry stepped in front of Ginny, shielding her. "Riddikulus!" he growled.

A sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle laughed. "Yes, it was riddikulus; watching that little lovers spat." He stepped forward.

"Reducto!" Harry snapped. Tom flicked his wand and blocked the spell.

"How sad to see that you're still just a silly little girl, Ginevra; still waiting for famous and wonderful Harry Potter to notice you. Though I must say, your attempts at enticing him are much more interesting than when you were eleven. Black with blue lace," he taunted. "We have grown up, haven't we?"

Ginny whimpered and shifted further behind Harry. "You keep your eyes off her," Harry growled.

"Or what, you'll kill me? How cliché; the jealous boyfriend to the rescue. Maybe she doesn't want to be rescued, Potter. Maybe she wants a boy who will do a whole lot more than look at her."

"Finite Incantatem!" Harry snapped. Tom's eyes widened as the spell rushed forward. It impacted him square in the chest and he flashed out of existence. Harry immediately turned and pulled Ginny to him. "Shush," he soothed her. "I've got you." Ginny shook like a leaf against him. "Easy, luv. It wasn't him. We killed him. It's nothing more than scorched parchment now." Ginny nodded shakily against his chest. Harry ran his hand in gentle circles on her back. "Easy, girl. Just breathe." It was some time before Ginny's trembling began to subside and he continued to hold her, all the while quietly reassuring her. "Better?" he asked a few minutes later.

"I can't believe he did that," she whispered.

"He's playing for keeps, Gin."

"But that?" she protested.

Harry pushed her back and held her by the shoulders. "Voldemort's going to have nasty things protecting his Horcruxes. And that says nothing about the little buggers themselves. They've got a part of his soul in them, Gin. You know how powerful they are. Bill's probably figuring they'll mess with our minds when we find them. Can you imagine what a new piece of his soul would do to you if it somehow got in your head and found your memories of the diary? No matter what we run into, no matter how terrifying, disgusting or horrifying it is, we have to be able to function. That's why he did it." Ginny stared back at him and he watched her face intently as she tried to accept what he'd said. "Don't tell me something you've already beaten is going to make you quit, Gin," he said quietly.

Ginny's face hardened. "I'll quit when we're dead, Harry. I swear it. Nothing will stop me from seeing this through."

Harry pulled her tight, tucking her head under his chin. "There's my girl."

Ginny gave him a squeeze and pulled back. "Come on. Let's get this over with. You and I have a date with our beds that is long past time to collect on."

"Tell me about it," Harry agreed. "And you're still in trouble for not waking me up after five hours."

Ginny sniffed. "Please, you obviously needed it. And you're still limping." She turned around and got her first real look of the cavern. Enough sun was spilling in past the falls to provide light to see about twenty feet in before the darkness took over. The cavern itself was about forty feet across and maybe thirty high. Water ran down the walls constantly, and they had been worn smooth over eons of time. She triggered the release for her wand and it slipped into her hand. "Shall we?" she asked.

"After you," Harry indicated.

"Nice, Potter," she retorted. "Real knight in shining armor material you are, sending the girl in first.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Weasley." He tried to step around her to take the lead and got an elbow in the gut for his efforts.

"Oh, no. I'm going first this time."

"Bloody hell woman, can you make up your mind about anything? Look at me, don't look at me, you first, no I'm first. Do you have any idea how much of a pain in the arse you are?"

"Are you finished bitching?"

"For the moment."

"Good. Let's go." She turned and cautiously set off into the cavern.

"About bloody time."

"I thought you were done bitching."

"It's a different moment."

"You're worse than a girl."

"You're worse than Malfoy."

"You're going to get a fat lip if you don't shut it."

"So you're allowed to hit me, but Fleur can't?"

"She doesn't have to put up with you near as much as I do." Ginny lit her wand as the light began to fade.

Harry followed her lead. "Thoughts on what else we're going to find in here?"

"Nothing enjoyable," Ginny answered. At the back of the cavern, it narrowed into two tunnels. "Told you."

"Ok," Harry said. "Time for some detection spells." He waved his wand at the two tunnels. "Ostende ubi illi sunt qui ante calcare." After a second or two, he sighed, "Nothing."

"Let me try," Ginny said. "Monstro quod est lini." She lowered her wand a few moments later. "There has to be a key. We just need to figure out what it is."

"How about we just pick one and check it out?"

Ginny stepped to the side. "After you," she said. Harry considered for a second and chose the tunnel on the left. He stepped forward and was blasted all the way back into the pool at the cavern's entrance. "HARRY!" Ginny screamed. She rushed back to see Harry struggling to stay afloat and out of the pull of the current from the falls. "Accio, Harry," she shouted. Harry rose out of the water and floated to her. She set him down and he rolled to his hands and knees coughing up lungs full of water. He continued to cough up small amounts of water for another few minutes before he managed to get control of himself. He eventually rolled to his back and lay still; giving no indication that he was going to move any time soon.

"You ok?"

"Never better," he wheezed. "Can I just say, Ouch."

"Is anything broken, or is that just an all over ouch."

Harry took a moment to take inventory of his body. "I think it's pretty much just an all over ouch. Thanks," he added.

Ginny grinned. "How many times have I saved your life in the past week now?"

Harry shrugged. "I'm not sure I can count that high right now."

Ginny took his hand. "You poor thing. You really are getting the worst of this."

"Tell me about it." Harry managed to prop himself up on his elbows. "Your brother's one evil tosser."

"I believe the correct phrase would be evil son of a bitch."

"Except that insults your mum and I've got no problem with her," Harry paused and then added. "Except maybe that she dropped him when he was a baby. He's a bloody imbecile; doing this for a living."

"At this rate he's going to kill all his students. Fat lot of good that will do him against Tom.

Harry pushed himself to his knees. "Give me a hand will ya?" Ginny took Harry's hand and heaved him to his feet. She continued to steady him for a few seconds while he caught his balance. Harry shook his arm out, sending a spray of water splattering down. "So much for staying dry," he muttered.

"Seriously, Harry," he could have killed you with that.

"I think the point is Voldemort _would_ have killed me with that," Harry said. "We need to be more careful; more patient."

"Ok," Ginny agreed. "Where do we begin then?"

"I wanna go back and check those tunnels again.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Of course you do. Typical male. It nearly killed me once, wonder what will happen if I poke it a second time."

Harry ignored her and made his way back into the cavern and the two passageways. "Stand back," he said. He bent and picked up a rock which he lobbed at one of the passageways. It flew through and bounced away down the tunnel. Harry glared at the passage for a number of minutes, considering what to do next. "Accio, Mouse!" he suddenly snapped.

"What are you doing?" Ginny asked.

"Testing," Harry caught the mouse and in one motion launched it at the passageway. There was a flash, a squeak, and the mouse was launched towards the falls. "Accio Mouse!" Harry bellowed. The mouse's flight stopped less than six inches from the torrent of the falls and flew back to Harry's hand. He did a quick wand scan, determined the mouse was uninjured and set it on the ground. He fished a package of crackers from his pocket and spilled them out for the mouse. "There's gotta be a reason to block living things from going down there."

"So how do we get past it? If you think I'm putting up with you as a ghost for the next hundred years, you're mental.

Have you noticed what we need to move on in this stage is given to us. We just need to know what to look for."

"Ok," Ginny said. "What did I miss this time?

Harry waved his hand around the cave. "Asphodel, wormwood, valerian roots, sopophorous beans."

"You want to brew Draught of Living Death? Harry, might I remind you the only known antidote to it is the kiss of your true love."

Harry shrugged. "So. The truth is I love you."

"Harry I love you too, but they mean true love as in lovers. That isn't us."

"You think? he asked.

"I'm not chancing it"

"Probably a wise idea. We'll either end up passed out for eternity or I'll be seeing a whole lot more than your black with blue lace knickers. Any other ideas? Maybe there's a different entrance to this cave.

Ginny thought about it for some time before an idea began to form. "Stand back, Harry," she said.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked nervously.

"In effect, dying."

"Excuse me?

"Occlumency, Harry. You're a level two practioner right now. You're learning how to hide a few specific things. But the rest of your mind is wide open."

"Yeah," Harry said, "and in level three I start building walls around the things I've chosen to hide."

"Correct," Ginny said. "And in levels 4-6, you start moving everything behind those walls. In levels 7-10 you selectively bring things out of the protected area of your mind."

"Right," Harry agreed. "Useless things or things that are entirely fake to confuse an attacker into believing they've actually gotten what they wanted from the invasion. I know the levels, Gin. I'm just not understanding how it will help us get through that barrier."

"I'm a level 7 occlumens, Harry. But it's easy enough to simply pull everything outside my barriers back inside. And when I do that, to a legilimens, I appear to be brain dead. I'm betting whatever spell he's got on that thing won't know the difference between me and a rock."

Harry stared at her for a moment then the tunnels. "You're nuts."

"Thanks a lot, Harry. You could help a girl out you know… Maybe rub her head a bit. She did suffer a rather traumatic event less than ten minutes ago."

"I'm not talking you out of this, am I?"

"No."

Harry sighed and sat down. "Ok, come here. Mind I'm soaking wet."

"I'm hardly any better," Ginny said. She settled against him. "There's so much moisture in here from the falls I might as well have kept my clothes on for the swim through them."

"It was pretty rough without them as it was."

"True," Ginny agreed.

"Besides, if you'd stayed dressed, then I would have missed seeing that little black and blue number you're wearing."

"Like what you saw, Potter?" she teased despite the blush climbing her face.

"Yep."

"Cad."

"Tart."

"You're gonna pay for that, Potter. Now shut up so I can concentrate."

Harry fell silent as he gently worked circles on Ginny's temples with his fingers. "That illusion really upset you, didn't it?" he asked quietly.

"A bit."

"I can tell," he said. He shifted and started combing his fingers through her damp hair. "I've got you, Gin," he said quietly. "I'll always have you."

Ginny's mouth slipped into a contented smile. "My guy," she sighed.

"Just don't tell my girl."

"I won't." About ten minutes later, Ginny sat up. "Ok, I'm ready." She stood and offered a hand to Harry.

"Thanks," he said. He dusted himself off as best he could. "Wha'd'ya think the chances of this working are? It's bloody freezing in here all wet like this."

Ginny stepped in front of the tunnels. "Don't know… You are going to fish me out of the water if this doesn't work, aren't you."

"Not planning on letting you end up there to begin with," he said. Harry conjured a wall behind them and then two mattresses. He propped one against the wall and set the other on the ground. He then added cushioning charms to them both. He grinned at Ginny. "Good luck."

"Nice," she muttered. She stepped just to the edge of the barrier, took a last calming breath and stepped forward. The barrier flexed like it was making a mold of her body and then split. The edges stayed pressed tightly against her, pulsing with warm energy that sent tingly waves coursing all through her. The feeling wasn't unpleasant at all. In fact, she realized, it was entirely too pleasant. She could hear Harry calling to her; telling her to keep going but it was the last thing she wanted to do. Truthfully, she couldn't remember what she was suppose to be doing and the idea of just staying right where she was appealed to her just swimmingly."

"Gin!" Harry shouted. He didn't know what was happening to her but she seemed to have gotten stuck half way through the barrier. "Accio!" he snapped, hoping to pull her back. "Shit! Now what?" he asked. "Ok, Let's try pushing her through." He flicked his wand and hit her in the back with a Tripping Jinx. There was a flare of light all around her as the spell was absorbed into the barrier but she didn't move even an inch. Harry studied Ginny for a few moments; looking from all angles to see if he could get a glimpse of her face. "GIN!" he shouted again. Again there was no response from her. "I've got a feeling this is going to hurt," he sighed before cautiously reaching out to her. He closed his eyes and just touched his fingertip to her shoulder.

Ginny's eyes snapped open. Her breath caught and she groaned hungrily. She turned to find this new source of pleasure.

Harry cracked an eye open. "Gin?" he asked.

"Harry," she breathed. She caught his hand and pulled gently.

Harry's eyes widened. He'd seen that look before; on Fleur's face when she was trying to seduce Bill into their bedroom. He tried to pull back from her. "Gin, no."

Ginny felt an instant of rejection, but then the fire within her grew. If he wanted to be seduced she was glad to play the game. Eventually, he'd break and her desires would become his. No more of this silly flirting and not wanting, or being ready for a boyfriend. He wasn't some silly Hogwarts boy. He was a man; a man to whose life she had pledged herself. Why shouldn't he have her body too? Why shouldn't she have all of him? One kiss, that was all it would take and he would be hers forever."

"Kiss me, Harry," she purred sibilantly. She pulled intently on his hand.

Harry struggled to keep her from pulling him in. Somehow he knew touching the barrier wouldn't send him flying into the falls behind them this time. This time he'd find himself trapped with her in the barrier; suffering the same tricks on his mind that she was. "Ginny, please," he said. "Come back."

She shook her head. "No, Harry, you come with me."

"Gin, you don't really want this. It's the magic. Your brother put some kind of Love Charm on the barrier."

Ginny shook her head. "No, silly boy. The only thing in here is the truth."

"You're wrong, Gin." He tried to give a tug but Ginny was either stuck or unwilling to move.

"Harry, aren't you tired of silly games between us? Don't you want to know what it's like to hold me; to really hold me, to kiss me? Tell me you don't want to touch me; to make love to me," she finished softly. Harry stared at her for a number of moments. She smiled shyly and pulled on him. Harry braced himself as the barrier enveloped him too. Her hand came to the back of his head pulling his lips to hers. It took every fiber of his being to place his hand on her lips, stopping the kiss.

"You know you don't want this," he said.

"You're wrong, Harry."

"Then step out of the barrier."

"What does it matter where we confess the truth?"

"You want the truth?" he asked. She nodded.

"The truth is you are not the girl who's spent the last four months at my side. You are nothing more than a shade of her; manipulated and controlled just like you were by Tom Riddle's diary. And it will be a cold day in hell before I defile her by doing anything with you. Ginny stared up at him blinking rapidly. Harry pulled away from her, stepping through the barrier till their hands broke apart.

Tears streamed down her face as she continued to reach for him. "Harry, please," she whispered.

Harry held his hand just out of reach. 'Where's my girl?" he demanded. "I want to talk to her."

"I am her," she pleaded.

"Then step out of the barrier and ask me those things." Ginny took a half step but found herself still trapped. "You have to take control, Gin. It's the only way through."

"But it's me, Harry," she pleaded. "I am in control."

"Tell me you love me."

"Harry, you know I do. I tell you all the time."

"Yeah, I know. But are you _in_ love with me?" Ginny opened her mouth but stopped. "Can't do it, can you?" he asked.

"Harry I just told you I wanted to make love with you."

"But you can't tell me you're _in_ love with me."

"Harry!"

"God damnit, Gin, fight! You're a level seven occlumens for Christ sake. You fought off Riddle's diary for nine effing months; are you seriously telling me you can't fight through a simple little Love Charm?"

A tear slipped down Ginny's cheek. "You don't love me?" she whispered.

Harry stiffened. "I don't even know you."

"After everything I've done for you."

" _You_ haven't done anything for me. _You_ are not Ginny Weasley. _You_ are not Gin. _You_ are not my girl."

"You heartless bastard."

Harry flinched, he knew he was hurting her but he didn't know what else he could do. She simply had to find a way of seeing the truth before she could free herself. He straightened and held his hand out again. "Come here, Gin," he said quietly. There was a brief moment of clarity on her face but it was gone an instant later.

"I wouldn't go anywhere with you," Ginny hissed.

"Now, Gin."

Ginny shook her head. "I don't—"

"I'm right here, Gin. The real me, not some charmed fabrication. Now let's go."

"But."

"I love you," he said. Ginny blinked.

"But you said."

"I know what I said. And you know exactly what I meant because your truth is the same as mine. Now let's go."

"But we could."

"Not in there."

"No?"

"No."

Ginny hesitated. "Out there?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Do you want more?"

"I. Yes! No. I, I don't know."

Harry leaned forward enough that their fingers just touched. "Come on, Gin." She stared intently at him as his fingertips curled around hers. "That's it," he soothed. Her hand curled, locking with his. "Come here," he mouthed. She stepped slowly forward. "That's my girl," Harry gasped when she collapsed into his arms. He sank to the floor cradling her as she broke down. She cried uncontrollably for some time, clinging to him in the tempest her mind had created.

Eventually she managed to regain some of her composure. "I'm sorry," she sniffed miserably.

"Hush," he soothed her. "That was a nasty spell."

"You didn't have much trouble," she muttered.

"I had some idea of what I was getting myself into."

"But I'm a level seven occlumens. You're lucky to scrape three right now."

"You're also a romantic," he countered.

"I'm useless, is what I am; letting myself be controlled like that."

"Gin, you are not useless. We got through that spell because of you. I couldn't have opened the door. Your brother and Fleur are capable of some nasty spells. I think anyone who can fight their way out of that one is pretty damn amazing."

Ginny looked up at him. "You're either an amazingly good liar or just plain amazing, Harry. Thank you."

Harry grinned. "I like to think I'm just plain amazing."

She leaned in and gave him a crushing hug. Thank you, Harry. For bringing me with this summer, for trusting me enough to let me teach you occlumency, for believing in me and helping me to believe in myself."

Harry returned her hug. "There's no one I'd rather have with me than you, Gin."

She pushed back from him. "Not even Ron or Hermione?" she asked.

Harry shook his head. "They're great, but it's not even close."

Ginny smiled. "Thanks, Harry." She sighed and looked about the tunnel. "Do you suppose we'll be lucky enough that swimming the falls, getting past a conjuring of Tom and this stupid portal is it or will there be more? I'm not sure how much more I can take."

Harry heaved himself to his feet and offered her a hand up. "I just hope we picked the right tunnel," he said. "Stick close."

Ginny pressed up behind him with her arm around his waist. "Close enough?" she asked.

Harry chuckled. "It'll do, luv." He set off down the tunnel with her stepping in his footsteps.

"Good because I'm staying here. Bloody Tom Riddle and being controlled by a Love Spell. I'm going to have nightmares for a month."

"Wake me up, I'll sit with you."

"You really do love me, don't you?"

"Yep." Harry stopped a second later. "Shit."

"What?" Ginny asked, peering past him.

"Looks like Charlie might have helped Bill out with this one."

"Oh my," Ginny whispered.

Harry shuddered. "Won't be a firebolt to get past this one with." He stepped to the very edge of the tunnel before it opened into a massive chamber. "Bloody hell, the one at the tournament wasn't big enough?"

"What do you say we just go back, tell Bill we found it and he can get his little _horcrux_ back himself?" Ginny suggested.

"How the hell did he get it in here?" Harry muttered.

Ginny tugged on his arm. "Harry, are you listening to me?"

"Nope."

Ginny groaned. "Harry, the one from the tournament nearly killed you. This one's three times the size of that one."

"You know what they say," Harry said.

"He who messes with dragons, get's eaten?" Ginny retorted.

"The bigger they are the harder they fall." Harry dug his pack out of his pocket, enlarged it and pulled out his invisibility cloak."

"Harry, can we talk about this, please?" Ginny pleaded. "At least tell me you have some kind of plan."

Harry wrapped the cloak around Ginny's shoulders leaving her head to float, seemingly disembodied, five feet off the floor. "Yep, I keep it occupied. You raid the nest." Her mouth dropped open. He grinned and pulled the hood up. "Have fun." Before she could stop him he stepped out into the cavern. "OI, UGLY!" he bellowed. The dragon's head rose and turned his direction. He unleashed a Bludgeoning Hex that hit it square in the right eye. The great beast bellowed angrily.

"HAARRRRYYYY!" Ginny hissed.

"Sorry, luv, kinda busy." Harry bolted just as the dragon unleashed a ball of flame where he'd been standing.

Ginny could see the top of Harry's head as he ran from one boulder to the next and had to stifle a scream as he stopped just short of running right into a jet of flame as the dragon lumbered after him. Harry turned, waved in the direction of the tunnel and blinked out of sight just as another jet of flame turned the stone he'd been standing on red-hot. The dragon bellowed in frustration as Harry reappeared behind it and unleashed another bludgeoning hex into the back of its massive head. For something as monstrous as it was the beast whirled with cat like quickness. It's tall crashed on the boulder Harry was hiding behind, cracking it down the middle.

"BLOODY!" Harry yelped. The jet of flame to follow was already coming before he managed to disapparate.

 _Bloody, stupid, moronic, embryonic brained toad!"_ Ginny screamed silently as she darted from boulder to boulder on her way to the dragon's nest. _Trolls have more brain power than you do, Potter._ She paused about fifty feet from the dragon's nest. Invisibility cloak or not, the expanse of open space with nothing to hide behind between her and the nest looked daunting indeed.

"SHIT!" Harry's voice carried across the chamber. Ginny whipped around as the dragon bellowed an apparent victory. Harry darted from one hiding spot to the next but he was moving with a decided limp again. She quickly unleashed a Severing Hex at the dragon and darted for the nest. The beast whirled, seeming to track her even with the cloak. It roared in rage as she slid to a stop and rolled the eggs aside.

"GINNY!" Harry screamed. "IT CAN SEE YOU!" Harry canceled the Live Fire Charm on his wand and unleashed a barrage of Severing and Bludgeoning Hexes at the dragon but they had no effect on it as it bore down on Ginny. "GINNY RUN!"

Ginny frantically shifted the eggs about in the nest, looking for whatever Bill had placed in with them. She chanced a glance up and went back to the search. She was safe till it was close enough to get her with its jaws. It wouldn't flame its own eggs or risk crushing them by smashing her with its tail. At least that's what Charlie said. _It has to be here_ she thought frantically. "Accio _horcrux!"_ she snapped. Something smacked her in the face and fell to the ground. "Finite Incantatem!" she barked. She snatched up the small bundle and looked up just as a shadow fell over her.

Harry watched in horror as the dragon's jaws snatched at the air above its nest. His cloak floated back to the ground, covering one of the eggs. "NO!" he screamed. He rushed forward only to see a tiny, weasel-like creature with a small parcel of cloth in its mouth rushing back at him. Inside of three steps it morphed into Ginny. She grabbed his hand on her way past. "Come on you bloody idiot!"

"Ginny?"

"Not now." She pulled hard on him to get him moving again. The dragon roared and lumbered after its escaping quarry. In a blink, Harry went from dragging behind to herding her forward and they ducked into the tunnel just in front of a jet of flame.

"Keep moving!" he shouted.

"I am!" They rushed out of the short tunnel into the smaller chamber behind the falls and dove to the side just as another blast of flame shot out of the tunnel behind them. It carried past to the falls and disappeared in a massive hiss of steam. It was a minute or two before either of them moved and when they did, Ginny rolled over and straddled Harry's hips, pinning him to the ground.

"HAVE FUN!" she screamed. She whacked him in the shoulder. "Are you bloody insane?" She hit his other shoulder. Harry flinched as the onslaught continued. It wasn't that she was hitting him hard and it certainly didn't hurt, but the anger she was unleashing on him was nearly unbearable. "You were nearly killed, Harry! What is the matter with you?"

She stopped her tirade long enough for him to chance a glance up. "You're an animagus," he said. She belted him in the shoulder. "Ok, Sorry. Wrong answer."

"You're bloody damn right it's the wrong answer, Harry James Potter." A tear slipped down her cheek. She swiped it angrily away. Harry tried to take her hand, but she pulled it away crossing her arms protectively over her chest.

"Gin," he tried.

"You scared me, Harry," she whispered.

"You scared me too you know."

"Whose fault was that? If I hadn't let it come after me it was going to eat you for lunch."

"I was doing ok."

"You're limping again. And I bet you can hardly walk now that you're not running for your life."

Harry gave her a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry." He reached up and put his hand on her arm. She stiffened, but as his hand slid down she let him weave his fingers into hers.

"I'm going to have nightmares of that thing eating you for months."

"You? Do you have any idea what I went through when that thing came up from its nest with my cloak in its mouth? I nearly died on the spot."

"Would have served you right," she retorted. "Merlin, Harry, do you ever think about these things or do you always just stick your neck out and hope it won't get chopped off."

"Sometimes it's better not to think about them too much."

"You're mental, Harry. Absolutely, completely, totally nutters."

Harry grinned. "Yeah, and you keep inviting me to sleep with you. What's that make you?"

She swatted at him. "Shut it, you."

Harry shifted and pushed up on her hips. "Come on. I don't know why your brother's left us alone for so long, but I'm tired of being soaking wet. Let's get out of here while we still can." Ginny climbed off him and helped him up from the ground.

"What about your cloak?" she asked.

"Accio cloak!" Harry snapped, flicking his wand at the tunnel. For a second there was nothing, but then the dragon roared and Harry's cloak flew out of the tunnel into his hands just ahead of a jet of flame. Don't know about you, but I'm ready to go now."

Ginny kicked off her shoes and stripped back down to her knickers. "What?" she asked when Harry raised an eye. "It's bloody hard enough swimming that without clothes. He shrugged and quickly stripped down to his boxers. "Besides," she added, "I wanted another eyeful." Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her sharply to him. "What are you doing?" she whispered, her hand trapped between them.

Keeping his eyes locked with hers, he pried her hand open and took the small bundle in it. "Destroying the _horcrux,"_ he answered before letting go and backing away. He stepped near the tunnel and listened for a second. "Get ready to run," he said. "Ginny quickly stuffed her gillyweed in her mouth. Harry unleashed a Crushing Curse up the tunnel and they bolted for the water. Just as they dove in a jet of flame flew above them and Harry tossed the _horcrux_ into it.

There was a massive blast of light followed by a concussion that pounded into the water. It slammed into them, driving them to the bottom. They both floated there, stunned for a moment before Harry recovered. He shook away the last of his cobwebs and pulled Ginny to him. "You ok?" he asked.

"In a minute."

"Take your time. We've got an hour before the gillyweed starts to die off." Ginny closed her eyes and Harry held her by the wrist to keep her from floating into the currents before she was ready.

About five minutes later, she asked, "should we see if there's anything left of it?"

Harry shrugged. "Accio _horcrux_. A small piece of rock floated up from the bottom of the pool to his hand. "A chess piece?" he asked. He held it out to Ginny.

"Not just any piece," she said. "It's the queen." She turned it around so Harry could see.

He fingered the piece, noting that the crown was missing a point and her staff was missing the top third. "It looks like Fleur."

"He said a Horcrux has to be made from something significant to the owner," Ginny said.

"Yeah, but this wasn't a real Horcrux."

"But it was suppose to be dangerous. I'll bet he didn't count on us destroying it like that. I wonder what it was suppose to do."

Harry shrugged and tucked it into the straps on his k-bar sheath. "We can ask him. You ready?"

"After you," she answered.

Harry popped up in the shallows on the other side of the falls just as the effects of the gillyweed were wearing off. Ginny popped up a second after him. "That is a lot of fun. We'll have to come back and do it again sometime."

"Preferably, you'll have a proper swimsuit on," Bill said from the shore. Harry froze but Ginny slipped behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Go away, Bill. Harry and I are busy."

"William," Fleur said quietly.

Bill's jaw clinched. "Be careful, Potter," he managed. "You don't want to find out what I'll do to you if you mess my sister up."

"That's rich," Harry said. He flipped the chess piece at Bill. His hand shot out and snagged it. "You're worried about me messing her up after the stunts you pulled in there." He jerked his head in the direction of the falls and the cavern behind. "You're lucky I haven't kicked your arse already, Sir." He stepped out of the water, catching Ginny's hand as he pulled away. "If you'll excuse us, we're kind of tired and wouldn't mind going to bed."

"Harry," Fleur stopped him with a hand on his arm. "It was necessary."

Harry's lip twitched. "Maybe," he conceded. He pulled Ginny tight against him. "See you tomorrow," he said before disapparating them both back to the tent. He let her go as soon as they landed and collapsed onto the couch. He tipped his head back and sighed. "My leg is killing me.

"Oh no you don't, Potter," she said. "You're sleeping in your bed not out here. She pulled him back up and draped his arm around her shoulder. "Come on, luv." Harry hissed with each step as she helped him to his room and over to the bed. He sat down gingerly and she helped him lift his leg and lay back. "Let's make sure you didn't injure it again," she said.

Harry closed his eyes and settled back. "K."

A few minutes later she straightened. "You just need sleep, luv." She brushed his hair back from his face. "You want a shirt or something?"

He shook his head. "Too much work."

"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow."

"K."

Ginny watched him for a second longer but it was apparent he was already sleeping. She caught sight of herself in his mirror and flushed with her state of dress; if this particular set of knickers could even be called that. She made a quick raid of Harry's shirt drawer, taking two of her favorites and slipped one on. It just covered her bum but she was at least covered and headed for the door. She paused for just a second when she saw Bill and Fleur sitting at the table in the kitchen. She lifted her chin. "I trust we passed your little test?" she asked. Bill nodded. "I'll thank you now for the nightmares I'm going to have." Bill didn't look away as she glared at him. "Don't expect us to get up and haul water tomorrow, Brother Dearest," she said and disappeared into her room.

Bill closed his eyes and wearily rested his head in his hands. "I'm sorry, Sprite," he whispered.

Fleur took his hand and pulled. "Come William you need sleep as much as they do."

* * *

Harry bolted up hours later convinced something was wrong. He cast about for his glasses but a quick search of the room told him nothing was amiss. Still concerned he climbed from his bed, intent on checking the rest of the tent. "Bloody!" he yelped when Ginny stepped into his room just as he was about step out. "Gin?" he asked once he'd recovered. She didn't say a word as she looked up at him and a second later her hand was on his chest, pushing him back to his bed. He backed into the bed and sat down heavily. "Ginny what?" he started when she climbed on the bed and pushed him down.

"Hold me," she whispered.

"Ginny, we can't."

"Please, Harry."

"Gin."

"Harry, please. Just hold me. That's all I want; to feel safe."

Harry gave up protesting. "At least let me put a shirt on." Ginny quickly climbed off the bed and found one in his dresser for him. "Thanks," he said when she handed it to him. He pulled it on and scooted over to make room for her. "Come on then," he said holding the covers back.

She climbed in with her back to him and he pulled her against his chest. "Thank you, Harry," she whispered.

"Anything, Gin," he answered. "Anything you ask and it's yours."

She found his hand and held it tight against her chest. "I love you."

"You too," he answered. Ginny fell silent and it was apparent she was sound asleep in seconds. Harry shifted. "If Bill doesn't kill me for this, I'll die of shock," he muttered.

* * *

Author's notes:

Translations: According to the online translator. Though I'm finding these work horribly. If you happen to speak latin, I'm sorry.

Reveal where those who came before have tread.

Ostende ubi illi sunt qui ante calcare.

Reveal what has been erased.

Monstro quod est lini.

I know, I know, the title of the chapter had you convinced, didn't it? Sorry, not sorry. :)


	13. Chapter 13

Author's notes:

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter XIII**

 **Till it in't True**

* * *

Harry woke the next morning with a minor dilemma. He needed to use the loo but Ginny was sound asleep and lying half on top of him. He lay there, hoping he might fall back to sleep but gave up when the feeling became urgent. He managed to carefully slip out of her grasp and out of the bed without waking her and hurried for the door. After relieving himself, he was just stepping out of the loo when he froze. Bill and Fleur were sitting at the table in the kitchen and he hadn't even noticed them. And it hit him that he had just slept with Ginny.

Bill had been very deliberate in staying out of Ginny's business. At times he'd seemed, to Harry, to have tacitly given him permission to date Ginny. But it hadn't stopped him from making it very apparent what he would do if Ginny decided her business _was_ his business. And there was simply no way Bill would miss seeing Ginny come out of his room. The room he had just exited if she woke up. For a second his mind raced frantically for some excuse to drag Bill outside before he'd even had a cup of coffee or tea. If he could manage that at least, he felt fairly secure that Fleur would protect him if she happened to see Ginny come out of his room.

"Potter," Bill said.

"Sir," he answered. Harry was quite relived to note that his voice didn't crack on him.

"Good morning, Harry," Fleur said. "Did you sleep well?"

Harry just couldn't stop himself from glancing in the direction of his room so he missed seeing Fleur's jaw hit the table when Ginny chose that moment to make an appearance. His stomach dropped. No matter what he had said or done in regards to their relationship during the summer to her family, he'd always known he was taking his life in his hands when he did it. But he'd always been able to steady himself with his knowledge of the truth. But now, the truth was, he'd slept with her. Sure, there had been no sex involved; not even a single kiss. But she had spent the night in his room. In his bed. With him. His eyes locked with hers.

"Where did you go?" she asked.

Harry swallowed, refusing to give in to the urge to look at Bill. She was obviously still more asleep than awake. "Loo," he managed.

"Oh," she answered. "Are you coming back to bed?"

Harry ran a quick calculation that told him delayed death was better than instant. Getting back to his room and out of Bill's reach seemed a prudent course of action. "Yes," he said, making to join her.

"Will you bring me some juice when you come in?"

Harry stopped before he could even take a step. "Erm, sure," he managed through his disbelief. If he didn't know better he'd have thought she was trying to get him killed.

She smiled sleepily. "Thanks, luv," she said before disappearing back into his room.

Harry's head dropped a fraction of an inch. "You have got to be kidding me," he muttered near silently before steeling himself to turn around.

"Something you want to tell me, Potter?" Bill asked when their eyes locked. There was no mistaking the warning implied in the question.

"William," Fleur said, "you know very well it is none of your business."

Bill's eyes never left Harry. "I know it's none of my business. At least not till Ginny says it is. But given he's sleeping with her, I don't think it's too much to ask him to man up and make his intentions known."

Like so many times since first finding out about the wizarding world, something in Harry tripped. He didn't care who pressed him, if he thought he was right he wasn't backing down from anyone. "Is that a fact, Sir?" he asked, a hard edge in his voice.

Bill quirked an eye. "Yeah, it is," he answered, his tone matching Harry's.

"Oh for the love of," Fleur muttered.

"Stay out of this, Fleur," Bill growled.

"Don't you dare take that tone with me William Weasley,"

"Why should she?" Harry asked at the same time. "Seems to me she's got a fair stake in this conversation."

"Thank you, Harry."

"No she doesn't," Bill said.

Harry snorted and stalked to the cold box. While pouring a glass of juice for Ginny and without deigning to look at Bill, he said, "Then I gather you won't be _manning up_ and asking my sister to marry you anytime soon, will you, Sir." Harry returned the juice jug to the cold box and turned to him. Bill had gone decidedly pale while Fleur was stuck between tears for Harry having referred to her as his sister and livid with Bill after having Harry point out his hypocrisy. Harry raised the juice glass. "Cheers," he mocked. "Now if you'll excuse me, your sister is waiting for me." He paused and then added, "If there's one thing I know about women, it's not to keep them waiting." He headed for his room, stopping before disappearing through the door. "For the record, your sister came into my room last night and begged me to hold her because she was having nightmares. Absolutely nothing happened, nor will anything between now and when you see either of us again." Harry raised his glass again before disappearing into his room.

It was a full minute before Bill resignedly turned to face Fleur. A tear slipped down her cheek. "Do not speak to me," she whispered and fled to their room.

Bill's head dropped. "You bloody idiot," he berated himself before following her.

"Get out," she said quietly when he entered.

"No."

She turned on him. "If you know what is good for you, William Weasley, you will get out of my room now."

Bill didn't back down. "It's my room too. And I refuse to be told I can't be in it with you. If there's one thing I've always hated about my mother it's the fact that she'd make dad sleep on the couch if they had a huge fight; didn't matter who was right. That won't be us. No matter how angry I am with you I would never dream of making you sleep on the couch. And if you think I'll allow you to demand it of me, than we can just end this now."

Fleur raised her chin defiantly. "What is there to end when I am not considered worthy of joining a conversation? I will be happy to end this if that is how we are to be."

Bill closed his eyes painfully. "I was wrong. I'm sorry." He opened his eyes and took a step towards her. "Please, Fleur, I can't take back what I said. All I can do is tell you I'm sorry and promise not to make the same mistake again."

"Was it a mistake, William?" she asked halting him. "Or will you go on considering me only when I agree with you and then cast me aside when I do not? Will you simply not voice this truth so as not to lose a willing shag? Even if you were to _man up_ and ask me to marry you right now, I could not say yes if I did not believe that we are equals."

"Fleur, I know what I said hurt you. But I was wrong. It isn't how I feel about you. Harry was right. You had just as equal a stake in that conversation as I did. And none of it was due to the fact that I was asking his intentions when I haven't told you mine. Your opinion and feelings are priceless to me."

"Are they?" she demanded.

Bill took another step forward. "Fleur, please, you know they are. I ask your opinion on every decision I make. And when we disagree, it's usually me who ends up seeing things your way. And I don't change my mind just to keep the peace. I do it because you're right. I know you were the only person I talked to about this whole thing with Harry, but I never would have gone through with it if you hadn't convinced me Dumbledore was wrong." He cautiously took another step for her and reached for her hand.

"Do not touch me."

Bill's shoulders slumped. "Are you leaving?" he asked quietly. Her face twitched. "Fleur," he pleaded, "I can't do this without you."

"Can't you?" she asked. "Because I believe you could. You would do it for Ginevra."

"I'd fail, Fleur. I need you at my side. I _want_ you at my side."

"Until you find someone who possesses what I lack."

"Fleur," Bill said with some small exasperation, "there is nothing you lack. I swear, I've never thought that. I knew you were what I wanted before we'd exchanged even one word. The first time you looked at me and our eyes met, I knew I was done. I knew I'd never look anywhere else again."

Fleur held his eyes for a moment before asking, "Then why haven't you asked me to marry you?"

"Is that what you want? Will that convince you?"

"It is what I wanted before I learned I could so easily be cast aside."

Bill sighed in defeat. "If you truly believe that, if you won't accept my apology and trust that I value you and your opinion above anything, then it's probably better for both of us if you go."

Fleur eyed him for another few moments. "My feelings of hurt and rejection go far beyond what happened today, William. They have grown with each time I thought you might ask me and did not. The doubts eat at me. Why hasn't he? What causes him to wait? What does he look for that I don't possess? But do you understand it is not that you have not asked me to marry you that hurt me today? It is that you cast me aside and confirmed my doubts. I was not worthy to stand at your side. And that is all that I ever wanted from you, to know that you, kind, strong, decent and beautiful as you are, valued me, wanted me, for more than my accursed appearance." She paused.

"I do, Fleur. I'm begging you to believe that."

"Then you should know that it is still the greatest wish of my heart to be your wife."

Bill sagged. "Thank the God's," he whispered with relief. He gave her a tentative smile. "Is it ok if I touch you now?"

"One more thing," she said.

"Ok," he agreed.

"I have asked you to marry me. You told me no because it was your belief that all women deserved to have a man get down on his knee and ask for their hand and your wife was not going to be denied that honor. I have accepted this opinion of yours, but I am tired of waiting, William. I do not expect you to ask me today, or next week, or even within the month. But each day that passes, those doubts about myself grow. I do not believe myself capable of forgiving you confirming them again."

* * *

"Thank you," Ginny said. She took the glass from Harry and drained half of it. She offered it to him. "Want some?"

"No thanks."

She grinned, said, "good," and downed the rest off it.

"Nice," Harry retorted dryly.

Ginny set the glass on the bedside table. "Hey, I offered even though I wanted it all." She scooted down on the bed and pulled the covers back. "Now get back in here. I was actually having a good dream when I woke up and realized you were gone."

Harry laid down on the bed with his back to her. She pulled the covers over him and spooned up behind him. "You do realize you very nearly got me killed just now, don't you? Or didn't you see Bill sitting there when you asked me if I was coming back to bed?"

Ginny pushed herself up and pulled his shoulder, rolling him to his back. "He was out there?" she asked.

"Sitting at the table with Fleur."

Ginny dropped her head against his shoulder. "Harry, I'm sorry," she groaned. "Please tell me he didn't say anything."

"He wanted to know my intentions towards you."

Her head snapped up again. "He What?" she asked incredulously.

Harry smirked. "He thought because I was sleeping with you, I should _man up_ and make my intentions known."

Ginny stared at him with her mouth half open in disbelief for a moment before she pushed herself up. "I'll kill him," she growled.

Harry caught her arm before she could get out of the bed. "I handled it," he said.

"Oh no, Harry, I made it perfectly clear what I was going to do if one of my brothers interfered in my life again." She tried to get out of the bed again but Harry held tight. "Let me go, Harry."

"Would you at least listen to what I said before going all mental?" he asked before letting her go.

She glared at him for a second. "Fine, but I'm still going to kill him."

"I told him I'd man up and make my intentions known regarding his sister when he did the same and asked my sister to marry him." Ginny cocked her head slightly. "Fleur seemed pretty upset with him. You might need to get in line if you're still planning to kill him… What?" he asked after a few moments had passed and she still hadn't said anything.

"Nothing," she said and settled back down on the bed with her head on his chest."

"It was something, Gin."

"Really, Harry, it's nothing."

"Come on, Gin," Harry pressed.

"You just amaze me, Harry."

"That, amazed you?"

"It's just that most of the time you're the most gentle and docile person in the world. But you have this ability to be exactly what you need when you need it. What you said to Bill was the verbal equivalent of the Death Curse. One sentence, viciously belittling of his demand, and that's it; end game, pack your bags and go home because I've won. Me, I'd be out there ranting for hours at him and it wouldn't be anywhere near as effective." You always win; even when you shouldn't."

Harry considered what she'd said for a few moments before pulling her tightly against his side. "I hope you're right, Gin," he said quietly.

Ginny slipped her hand up and palmed his cheek. "Trust me, Harry, I am."

Harry sighed deeply. "Thanks, Gin."

"Anytime, Harry." She yawned. "Nite, luv."

"Nite, Gin."

* * *

 **HPHPHP**

* * *

Ginny sat down next to Bill on the rocks overlooking the ocean and Harry and Fleur as they body surfed the waves rolling in. "Hey," he said.

"Hey," she answered. She tipped her head back and closed her eyes, soaking up the summer sun beating down. A short time later, she remarked. "Heard you got in a bit of trouble yesterday."

Bill grunted. "No thanks to your bloody boyfriend."

Ginny turned to him. "Harry is not my boyfriend."

Bill eyed her. "Still spouting that line, are you?"

Ginny narrowed her eyes. "I will till it isn't true."

Bill leaned back on his elbows. "Un-huh," he grunted.

"You are this close to me cursing you within an inch of your life, Brother Dearest," Ginny warned.

Bill smirked. "Make sure that first shot counts, Little Sister."

"I'm serious Bill. Whatever my relationship is with Harry you stay out of it."

"If you haven't noticed, I've always stayed out of it."

"You did till yesterday. Bloody hell, Bill, the day we got here you told us you couldn't care less if we shared a room. Then you go asking him his intentions? What were you going to do if he'd said, shag her for a month or two and move on?"

Bill shrugged and turned to look out over the ocean again. "Made a mistake."

"You're damn right you did."

Bill turned to her angrily. "Hey, give me a break will ya? I am your brother after all. And I'd just watched you step out of his room wearing nothing but a tee-shirt, one of his I might add, that barely covered your knickers. What the hell was I supposed to do, congratulate him?"

"You were supposed to keep your mouth shut."

"Well don't worry. I will be from now on. But don't expect me to help you out when you come stumbling out of his room, drunk on sleep, and run into Mum when we get home."

"One, I'm a big girl. Two, I might have slept with Harry, but I didn't _sleep_ with him. Three, you don't have to worry about it because Harry and I will be sleeping in separate rooms when we get home."

"You're going to find that a lot easier said than done, Sprite."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that whatever your relationship with Harry is, you are well past the line of _just_ friends. You've cracked the lid on Pandora's Box, Sprite. You're going to find that putting away what you've played with isn't the easiest thing in the world to do."

"I haven't _played_ with anything."

"Oh, trust me you've played with far more than you think you have."

Ginny crossed her arms. "And what exactly do you think I've played with?"

"Are you seriously this dense? Or are you just being obstinate because I pissed you off?"

Ginny glared at him for a second before she angrily stood up. "I see no reason I should sit here and take this abuse from you. I'm not the one who did something wrong. You are." She turned on her heel to stalk away."

"And why do I have to take abuse from you? Just because I made a mistake? Where does the fact that I've always supported you, the fact that I've always respected that you were old enough to decide for yourself, the fact that I almost always take your side when you and Mum fight come into consideration? I made a mistake. I admitted it. I bloody well nearly lost Fleur because of it. I'm keeping my mouth shut despite the fact that you slept in his room again last night. What more do you want?"

Ginny stopped and turned back to him. "I want you to apologize to Harry."

"To Harry?"

"He's the one you insulted, Bill. Wasn't the way he stood up to Ron and the rest of you lot earlier this summer enough to show his character? You really hurt him when you asked that."

Bill scowled. "Fine, you're right."

Ginny continued to stare at him for a few seconds before her face softened. "Thank you."

"Welcome."

Ginny walked back over and sat down again. After a minute she asked. "She was that angry?"

"Yes."

Ginny nodded slowly. "I'm glad you managed to convince her not to leave."

Bill took a deep breath. "Me to, Sprite, me too." They sat in silence for a while longer before he stood up and kicked his shoes off. "Coming?"

"It's bloody cold."

Bill grinned. "If you cast an Impervious Charm over your Warming Charm it lasts longer than five minutes."

Ginny's mouth dropped open. "That's why you never got cold, no matter how long we were in the water," she said quietly.

Bill nodded. "Yep."

"You let me freeze my arse off all summer long on purpose!"

"Pretty much."

"Rictusempra!" Ginny cried, her wand flicking at Bill. He blocked her spell and bolted for the ocean. Ginny scrambled to her feet and chased after him. "Get back here you great pillock!"

* * *

 **HPHPHP**

* * *

The following morning, Ginny stumbled into the family room. She dropped her pack and shoulder bag on the floor and collapsed onto the couch next to Harry where she immediately pushed him over and curled up in front of him.

"Morning to you too," Harry said sarcastically. She reached back and pulled his arm around her.

"Didn't sleep well, Gin?" Bill asked. "Nightmares again?"

"Yes," Ginny retorted petulantly. She had no intention of telling him she'd slept horribly because she missed being next to Harry.

"Sure you did," he taunted.

"Shut up, Bill. We're trying to sleep."

"You can sleep when we get home. Are you sure you got everything?"

"Yes," Harry answered.

"Sprite?"

"Yes."

"You're sure?"

Ginny sat up with a huff and triggered the release on her wand. "Accio all Ginny's shit!" Her pack and shoulder bag zipped up from the floor to her lap. She dropped them again. "Satisfied?" she asked. A hairbrush zipped out of the bathroom and smacked into her shoulder. "Ouch!" she cried rubbing at the spot painfully.

Bill smirked. "Yep. Come on ,we've got about thirty seconds before we have to go."

Ginny irritatedly scooped the brush into her pack, grabbed it and her bag and hurried to join Bill, Fleur and Harry. Bill set the coin on the table and they all crowded around with their hands hovering over it. Bill watched the second hand on his watch sweeping across the face.

"In five, four, three, two, one." Four fingers touched the coin. They were deposited on the porch of The Burrow moments later. Ginny slipped and knocked into Harry who went down with a large thud on his backside and Ginny on top of him.

"Guess we know what that was now," Bill remarked.

Ginny righted herself and helped Harry up from the ground. "Just open the door, you arse," she said. "If you haven't noticed, it's bloody raining like hell. Sorry," she added to Harry.

"S'ok," he said. He slipped around behind her shielding her from the driving rain spraying onto the deck.

"You really do love me, don't you?"

"Must," he agreed.

"Please, William," Fleur sighed dramatically. "I do not know 'ow mucz more of zeir foreplay I can stand."

"Oh, go soak your head, Fleur," Ginny retorted. Fleur stuck her tongue out at them.

Bill drew his wand and traced a circle on the door. "Quite," he said.

From within the kitchen of the Burrow came Ginny's voice, "Deal."

Harry's voice followed. "It can't be any worse than running in the rain."

Bill let out a slow breath and pushed the door open. "Welcome home," he said leading the way. Behind him Harry pushed the door closed and latched it against the wind. Fleur flicked her wand at each of them in turn, drying them all from the short soaking they'd received on the porch.

"Thanks," Harry and Ginny said.

"You are welcome. Does anyone else want some tea?"

"I just wanna go back to bed," Ginny said and stumbled for the door.

"I'll have some," Bill said.

"Harry?" Fleur asked.

Harry hesitated for a second. "Thanks but I think I'm gonna go back to bed too. Slept like heck last night." He moved to follow Ginny.

"Wait a second you two," Bill called. They both stopped and turned back. "What you two went through this summer, not many people could do that. I'm impressed."

"Oui," Fleur added. "I would turn my back on Voldemort 'imself if I knew one of you were watzing it."

Harry and Ginny exchanged a look. "Thank you, Sir," Harry said.

"Thank you, Ms. Delacour," Ginny added.

"You're welcome," Bill said before he turned to put the kettle on. "Go get some rest. We start up again tomorrow and I don't care if the weather is worse than this."

"Oh happy day," Ginny muttered before leaving the kitchen.

Harry rolled his eyes and Fleur smirked back at him. "See you later," he said and hurried after Ginny. He caught her half way up the stairs and lifted her bag from her shoulder.

"Thanks," Ginny said.

"Welcome."

Thirty minutes later, after helping Ginny to her room and making a trip to the loo, Harry was lying in his bed wearily staring at the ceiling and thinking he might as well have stayed up and had tea with Bill and Fleur for all the sleep he seemed to be getting. A soft knock on his door roused him fully and a second later it clicked open. "Harry?" Ginny called tentatively.

Harry rolled in his bed. "Yeah, Gin?"

"Oh good, you're awake."

"Can't sleep either?"

"No. Will you come down on the couch with me?"

Harry considered for a half second before tossing his covers off. He stuffed his feet in his trainers and quickly joined her. "Grab your shoes," he said.

"Why?"

"So when your mum comes down and finds us, it looks like we just feel asleep waiting for Bill and Fleur and they decided to let us alone cause the weather is so foul.

"Good idea," Ginny agreed. She disappeared into her room and was back a second later with her shoes. She grabbed his hand and they quickly descended the stairs back to the living room and the couch. She sat down and patted the couch behind her. "What are you doing?" she asked when Harry settled on the opposite end."

"Believe me, I'd rather come down there with you," he answered. "But it might be a bit much for your mum." Ginny scowled. Harry sighed. "It's her house, Gin. Let's show a bit of respect for it. We'll be at school in three weeks. You'll be able to do whatever you want then. He waved his wand and cast a warming charm over her. "Come on." He patted his stomach. "Like we did before France."

Ginny thought about it for a half second but decided against arguing with him. She sighed dejectedly, waved her wand at him and then herself before settling back with her feet up across his legs and hips. "I suppose it's better than sleeping alone."

"What was that?" he asked.

"Impervious Charm. It's why the harpy and my pillock of a brother never got cold when we were swimming."

Harry kicked his shoes off; pulled Ginny's off and dropped them on the floor. "Remind me to exact an appropriate revenge," he said and settled back.

"Trust me, I'm working on it."

Harry patted her leg. "That's my girl."

Ginny smiled. "Nite, Harry."

"Nite, Gin."

Fleur stopped as she spotted Harry and Ginny on the couch. "What?" Bill asked. She pointed at the sleeping pair.

Bill considered them for a second. "That's not a bad idea," he said. He banished their bags to their rooms and pulled her to the other couch.

"Tree weeks," Fleur sighed resignedly as she settled on the couch with him tucked up behind her. "'ow I am to survive, I do not know."

Bill pulled her back against his chest. "Me either," he said. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled deeply. "I love you, Fleur Delacour."

Fleur melted into him blissfully. "You are mine, William Weasley," she said, her voice low and possessive.

"Yes," he agreed, "I am."

Molly stopped on the second step as her eyes registered her living room and its sleeping occupants. Arthur bent down to peer past her. "It would appear Bill thought better of training in this weather," he remarked, then amended, "More likely, Ginny begged or Fleur put her foot down."

"Probably both," Molly said. She resumed her trek down the stairs but detoured to the living room where she spread a blanket over Harry and Ginny. "The poor dears look exhausted." Arthur quirked an eye but didn't say anything. "What?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I didn't say a word."

"But you were thinking something."

"I'm just impressed, Love. It isn't easy letting them go. And Ginny is the last, and our only girl."

Molly looked down fondly on Ginny. "Yes, well I'm beginning to think it's inevitable. She could do a lot worse than Harry."

"I'm not sure she could do better than, Harry," Arthur said. He held the door of the kitchen open. "Coming?"

She hesitated for another moment; waved her wand and floated a blanket over Bill and Fleur and followed him to the kitchen. "Yes, dear."

* * *

 **HPHPHP**

* * *

"Ready for this, Potter?" Ginny taunted.

"Bring it, Weasley," Harry shot back.

Hermione crested the small hill and stopped short. She'd arrived a few hours early to find the house empty but for Mrs. Weasley. She had, of course, greeted her like one of her own and they'd spent a good half hour chatting before Molly had directed her to the pond and Harry and Ginny. She now found her two friends squared off in what appeared to be an all out fight on a small platform floating in the middle of the pond. She stood there transfixed as the two of them traded blows in a flurry of hands, feet, elbows and even knees. As Ginny ducked and came back up from an attempted punch from Harry, she caught sight of her standing on the hill watching. She stopped fighting, took a step back from Harry, waved and shouted, "HERMIONE!"

Harry half turned and Ginny spun like lightening and delivered a kick towards his head. Harry seemed to realize he'd made a mistake and was already turning back to Ginny when her kick landed. He managed to get his shoulder up high enough to take the blow, but it was still enough to send him flying into the water. Ginny didn't pay him so much as a glance before she touched her toe to the edge of the platform and it floated across the pond. It hadn't even touched the shore before Ginny was leaping off it and racing up the hill to greet her.

"Hermione!" she cried as she slammed into the other girl. "I'm so glad you're finally here." She embraced Hermione tightly. "I have so much to tell you." Before Hermione could manage a response of any kind, Harry raced up.

"Hey, Hermione," he said. "Back in a sec." He grabbed Ginny and tossed her over his shoulder. "There is no way I'm letting you get away with that, Weasley."

Ginny let out a squeal of surprise. "Harry James! You put me down this instant."

Harry laughed. "Not a chance, Gin. You're going swimming if I have to put you under the _Imperious._ "

"It's not my fault you let yourself be distracted! Harry, I swear you're going to pay for it if you throw me in the pond again."

"Heard it before, luv. Tell me another one." Despite her protests and struggles, Harry somehow managed to get her back down to the floating platform and get it to move out into the middle of the pond again.

"Damnit, Harry! That was fair and you know it."

"All's fair in love and war, Gin," Harry countered. "And this is most definitely war. Which makes it perfectly fair for me to throw you in." Harry gave a heave and tossed Ginny out over the water.

"I'm not going alone," Ginny screamed. She grabbed a handful of his hair. Harry let out a yelp and followed her into the pond with a tremendous splash. They disappeared under the surface and the pond slowly stilled. A long ten or so seconds passed before Hermione screamed, "HARRY, GINNY!" and bolted forward. The two combatants surfaced just as she reached the edge of the pond. She stopped short for the second time in two minutes. She blinked a number of times as she watched them floating in the water with Ginny's arms wrapped around Harry's neck and his hidden under the water but obviously around her waist, bantering playfully with each other before her brain snapped.

"WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON?"

Harry and Ginny stopped flirting long enough to glance at her, back to each other and back to Hermione again. "Language, Hermione," they said together and burst into peals of laughter.

"Don't language me!" Hermione snapped. "What the in the world was all that?"

Harry smirked at Ginny. "Well Fleur calls it foreplay."

Ginny splashed him. "But he never actually snogs me so it can't be." Hermione goggled at them.

"Look, she's speechless," Harry said.

"Imagine if you did kiss me," Ginny said.

"You're dating," Hermione gasped.

"Told you," Harry crowed.

"Hermione!" Ginny cried. "I just said he never snogs me. You're supposed to pay attention to things like that, smartest witch of your generation and all that. Now I have to give him a shoulder massage."

"Quit crying. I'll give you one too."

Ginny turned to him. "Really?"

"Sure."

"You're lovely, Harry," Ginny said and hugged him.

Harry returned her hug. "Pretty much," he agreed and started for the shore. Ginny latched onto him from behind so that when he rose out of the water he was giving her a piggyback. He stopped in front of Hermione and she dropped to the ground. Harry reached out and pulled Hermione to him. "I missed you," he said quietly. When she didn't return his hug, he pushed her back. "What's wrong?" he asked with a frown.

Hermione stared at him for a long two seconds. "Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?"

Harry laughed and pulled her tight again. "I could go back to the ranting, raving, lunatic from last year if you like."

"Will not," Ginny quipped.

Hermione cautiously returned Harry's hug. "How about you let me try this new Harry out for a bit before I ask for the old one back?"

Harry laughed again. "Wait till you see what else I do now?"

"Yeah, he's just like one of those organ monkeys," Ginny teased. Except for aiming a kick her direction, Harry ignored her.

Hermione pushed back enough to look up at him. "There's more?"

Harry smirked. "I do revision every day for at least an hour."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "You're having me on," she managed after a moment. Harry shook his head.

"And he read that book you sent me on the psychological effects on children on being physically and emotional abused," Ginny teased. Harry smirked at Hermione while she stared at him in wonder. "If you're going to shag him would you please find somewhere private?" Ginny asked. "I really don't need to see that. But don't expect too much more than that from him. His emotional range is still barely more than a teaspoon."

Harry let Hermione go and turned on Ginny. "You said I was well beyond a cup."

"I must have been delirious," she said loftily.

"Delirious is a temporary state," Harry countered. "It implies there will be an eventual recovery. Mental, on the other hand, is not. I think you fall more into that side of the equation."

Hermione grabbed Harry by the shoulder and turned him around. "Shag you?" she demanded.

Harry grinned. "Her words, not mine."

"You're not going to?" Ginny asked. "Load off my mind."

"Keeping me for yourself then, Gin?" Harry asked.

"I told you I don't share well."

"Nope, you steal the covers all the time."

"STOP!" Hermione cried.

Harry and Ginny grinned at her. "Yes?"

"Since when do you call Ginny, Gin?"

Harry shrugged and glanced at Ginny. "I think it was the morning you said I was a dangerous, sexy, exotic and chic Warrior Maiden," she provided.

Harry grinned. "Yep that was it. But Fleur was the one who said you were sexy."

Ginny put her hands on her hips. "You're saying I'm not?" she demanded.

"I'm not confirming or denying anything."

"That just means you think so but are afraid to say it."

"You wish, Weasley."

"You mean you wish you could have this," Ginny retorted.

"STOP!" Hermione shouted again.

Harry and Ginny turned back to her, identical grins on their faces again. "Yes, Hermione," they asked.

"Who the hell are you two?"

Harry and Ginny stuck their hands out. "Harry Potter," he said.

"Ginevra Weasley," she said. "But everyone calls me Ginny; except for the pillock." She jerked her head in Harry's direction. "He insists on Gin. I think it's because Ginny is too many syllables for him." Harry shoved her and she grabbed his hand trying to twist his arm behind his back. Harry spun and smacked her wrist with his other hand.

"Pitiful," he taunted just in time to get leveled by her foot in his temple. Harry crumpled to the ground.

"OH!" Hermione squeaked.

Harry flopped to his back. "You're going to pay for that," he grumbled. "He sat up and shook his head. "Just as soon as I can remember my name."

"That was for throwing me in the pond after I beat you fair and square," Ginny countered.

Harry looked up at her. "Next time I'm gonna drown you." He made a half-hearted swipe at her leg, which she easily sidestepped.

"Pitiful," Ginny taunted. Harry stood up and regarded her warily. "Truce?" she asked.

"Deal," Harry agreed.

Ginny stepped up close to him. "Lemme see." Harry obligingly turned so she could examine him.

"Bloody good thing I still had the charms on," he muttered.

"You know I wouldn't have done it if you didn't," Ginny answered. "You're fine," she added.

"Tell that to the ringing in my ears."

Ginny frowned. "It was that hard?"

Harry raised an eye at her. "I'm not sure even Charlie hit me that hard… Seriously," he added at the skeptical look on her face, "that was brutal, Gin." He grinned ruefully.

"Sorry," she said meekly.

"S'ok," he said and reached for her hand. Ginny let him weave their fingers together.

"Will one of you please explain what is going on?" Hermione said. "Before I have you both sent to St. Mungoe's to have your heads examined."

"I thought we were," Harry said.

"I did too," Ginny said. She settled with her back against Harry's chest and he rested his chin on her shoulder.

Hermione drew her wand and pointed it at them. "Enough!" she shouted. "Enough with the flirting or foreplay or whatever it is you two are up to."

Harry and Ginny regarded her for a second before they moved as one, splitting and going in opposite directions. "Careful where you point that thing, Mione," Harry said. Hermione was torn as to whom to keep her wand on and they were obviously moving to surround her.

"Wands are a dangerous weapon, Hermione," Ginny said. She made a quick motion and Hermione turned to face her.

"You shouldn't point it at someone unless you intend to use it," Harry said. "Accio Hermione's wand," he barked. Hermione managed to hang onto her wand but her arm was whipped around as the wand tried to fly to Harry.

Ginny stepped into Hermione grabbed her wand arm and twisted it around behind her back. "Fighting me will only make it hurt more," Ginny said when Hermione cried out. She twisted her around to face Harry. "Drop the wand and I let go," Ginny said.

"Don't drop it, Hermione," Harry said.

"Drop it," Ginny said.

"Don't," Harry countered. "It's your only weapon. Drop it and you're at her mercy."

"You're already at my mercy," Ginny said. "I can rip your shoulder out of the socket in a second."

"You have options yet, Hermione," Harry countered. "Even with your shoulder dislocated, you're better off with your wand than without."

"You're done no matter what," Ginny said. "Might as well give up and not get hurt more than you already are."

"We're at war, Hermione," Harry countered. "You're muggle-born. Can you imagine what will happen if you surrender? It's better to end up dead than let her take you. A dislocated shoulder is a small price to pay if you can escape."

"He's right," Ginny said. She relaxed her hold on Hermione minutely.

"It's fight now or die horrendously," Harry said. He waited to see what Hermione would do.

"You've learned martial arts," she eventually managed.

"A person never _learns_ one of the arts," Harry countered. "I'd say we're learning martial arts; Brazilian Jujitsu and Russian Sambo to be precise."

"Among other things," Ginny said.

"And you're teaching me now?"

Harry shrugged. "If you want. It's up to you. You have to make the decision for yourself that you're going to do it. If you prefer, Ginny will just let go. Won't you, Gin."

"As long as she promises never to point her wand at you again, I don't like it when people point weapons at you."

"Protective, aren't we?" Harry said.

"You aren't?"

"I'm not the one threatening to rip Hermione's arm out. Nor was I the one who threatened to break Fleur's hand."

"That wasn't a threat. It was a promise."

"I know. Yet it doesn't stop you from clobbering me for no good reason."

"I had a good reason."

"Me throwing you in the pond hardly equates to you nearly breaking my jaw."

"He has a point," Hermione interrupted. "And can we get back to the issue at hand? You said I had options."

"Oh good," Ginny purred. "I like it when they fight."

"You do like it rough," Harry taunted.

"THE POINT!" Hermione shouted. "I don't need to know about your sex lives."

"We don't have one," Ginny said.

"Stomp her foot," Harry said. Ginny side stepped Hermione's attempt. "Smash your head back into her face."

"What?" Hermione yelped.

"Do it!" Harry snapped.

"Too late, already countered," Ginny said.

"You have a free arm," Harry said. "Do something with it."

"What?" Hermione demanded.

"I don't know, hit her. Grab her leg and dig you nails in as hard as you can. Do something. Anything. If you're lucky all she does is rip your arm out. If you're not, she gives you to Tommy Boy and you'll wish she'd ripped your arm out. You're wand is still in your hand, curse her. Just do something."

Ginny let Hermione go. "Here, we'll demonstrate." She turned her back on Harry and he pinned her arm behind her back as Ginny had done to Hermione. "You still have options like this. He still doesn't have complete control."

"Like I do if I've got my arm around your neck too," Harry said. He clamped his arm around her neck. There're options here too, but not as many."

"But you're not ready for that yet," Ginny said. Harry let his arm go from around her neck. "Best to get free here before it gets worse," Ginny continued. She stomped back at Harry's foot. He stepped away from her and she shifted her hips so he was no longer directly behind her. She quickly stepped backwards, twisted in a manner that made it look as if Harry was spinning her on the dance floor and suddenly she was behind him. As Harry lost his grip on her arm she latched onto his wrist and pinned his arm behind his back. She kicked at the back of his knee and Harry was gently if forcibly pushed to the ground on his stomach. Ginny held his wrist and planted a foot in his back while lifting and twisting his arm up to a point where any further and she would dislocate his shoulder. Harry swiped at her leg with his free hand but she made sure to stay well out of reach and twisted his arm up further. "Easy, luv, I wouldn't want to hurt you." Harry relaxed, submitting to the control she'd established and Ginny let him go.

Harry stood and dusted himself off. "Looks like I need to go swimming again," he sighed.

"I don't know," Ginny countered. "I kind of like you shirtless and covered in mud."

"Can you two stop flirting long enough to get a straight answer?" Hermione cried.

"Only if we're separated," Harry quipped.

"And even zen et is difficult," Fleur said from behind her.

"Oh!" Hermione yelped and whirled around.

"Harry, every time I see you et es more pleasing zan zee last," Fleur said. "'Ello, "ermione," she added turning to the younger girl. She embraced her and kissed her on each cheek. "Et es good to see you again. "

Harry coloured. "The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Delacour."

"Suck up," Ginny said under her breath.

"It's good to see you too," Hermione said returning the gesture with Fleur.

"Zey 'ave been tormenting you too, zeen?"

"Oui."

"I wisz zey would simply move to zee zzagging and put zee rest of us out of our misery."

"Where's Bill?" Harry asked.

"In zee kitczen. I came to get you for dinner."

"Amazing, you went somewhere without him," Ginny taunted.

"One could say zee same of you and Harry, Ginevra." Ginny scowled but fell silent.

"You see 'ermi.." Fleur stopped and pursed her lips distastefully. "Hermione," she managed with difficulty. "Et es possible to szut zeem up ef you know zee button to push."

"We can't help it if we like spending time together," Ginny muttered. "Why does the fact that we like to hold hands or cuddle have to mean we're more than just friends?"

Fleur quirked an eye. "You tell me, Ginevra?"

"You'd think you want us together," Ginny said.

"Two of my favorite people becoming a couple togetzer," Fleur pondered. "Why would zat not make me 'appy?"

"We're happy with the way things are, Fleur," Harry said. "Ginny doesn't want a boyfriend and even if I wanted a girlfriend, I'm in no place to have one."

"Exactly," Ginny added.

Fleur shrugged. "Zat is fine. But I will continue to tease you till it fails generate a reaction."

"You're bloody annoying, Ms. Delacour," Ginny huffed. She grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him along. "Come on, Potter. We need showers, not dunks in the pond before dinner."

"Bloody hell woman," Harry complained. "Could you make it any easier?"

"Enjoy yourselves," Fleur shouted at the same time.

"At least I could still do it if I wanted," Ginny shouted back.

"I am not married or even engaged yet, Ginevra."

Ginny increased her pace. "I swear, I'd shag you right here if I thought it would shut her up," she grumbled.

"Are you kidding," Harry said. "She's probably try and give you instruction."

Ginny snorted. "I can just hear her," she parroted. "Harry you must take your time and be calm."

Hermione watched them go till they crested the hill. "They're holding hands."

Fleur snorted. "Zat es zee least of wat zey do togetzer." Hermione looked at her. "Zey are lovers in all but zee deed."

Hermione blinked. "Seriously?"

"Oui, but zey will not admit et even to zemselves. I am positive zey 'ave never even kissed."

"You think they should?"

Fleur regarded Hermione for a second. "Zey are good for eacz otzer. Trutzfully zough zey are not ready. It will 'appen wen et does." She shrugged. "Or per'aps not."

Hermione considered for a second. "I don't think you should tease them about it."

Fleur cocked her head. "Why not?"

"Because if I know anything about either of them, it's the fact that neither one handles being wrong very well. So if they have to first admit to themselves the truth; a truth that is going to piss them off because it will mean realizing they've been wasting time they could have been together. Subconsciously, they are going to fight that. Add to that everyone telling them they should be together, just waiting for the day they do, they're only going to be more determined to prove to the world they really are just friends."

Fleur took a moment to digest Hermione's words as they walked. "You 'ave a point," she said. "But zere is also zee fact zat wen one of zem decides zey are going to do somezing, notzing stands in zere way. If teasing zem makes one of zem crack, admit to zemselves zee trutz, zey will act and demand an answer from zee otzer."

"I don't think it will work," Hermione said.

Fleur shrugged. "If zey are meant for eacz otzer, zen it will 'appen. If not, zen someone else will claim zem botz."

"That might be what it takes for them to actually admit the truth," Hermione said.

* * *

"You're going to bed?" Hermione asked. "But we've barely had a chance to talk."

Harry winced. "I'm sorry, Mione," he said. He ignored the look he got from Ron at the shortening of her name. "Unless our instructor is going to give us tomorrow off, we need to get to bed." Ginny shot a hopeful glance towards where Bill and Fleur were curled up on the love seat.

"Not a chance, Sprite," Bill said.

Ginny sagged dejectedly. "Drat."

"You are welcome to join zem… Hermione," Fleur offered, pausing for a second to correctly pronounce the H in her name.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Ron said.

"Nancy boy," Bill said.

"I'm working!" Ron protested.

"We're done in time for you to get to work," Bill countered.

"Get up at a quarter to five to puke my guts out while you beat me senseless. I've got more sense than that."

"Wimp," Charlie taunted.

"I don't see you out there," Ron countered.

"I hardly need training in how to fight."

"Says the bloke who got dropped by his _baby_ sister with one shot."

Charlie leaned forward and cracked his knuckles threateningly. "Tell you what, Ronnikins, why don't you give her the same free shot I did before you go popping your mouth off. Or maybe you want to try me the same as Potter did; no sparring charms or anything. You get up after I've hit you three or four times and we'll talk."

Ron chanced a glance at Ginny. She merely quirked an eye at him. "I wouldn't suggest it, Mate," Harry said. "Either option isn't a particularly wise choice."

"What's it gonna be, Ronnikins," Charlie pressed in the silence that followed. "Don't wanna look like a wimp in front of your little girlfriend do you?"

Hermione's head snapped to Charlie. "If you are referring to me, Charles, I am not Ron's girlfriend. Furthermore, someone who has repeatedly placed himself in positions he fully expected would lead to his death to protect me or Harry, or Ginny or any number of other people certainly doesn't need to prove his manhood to me by letting you, or Ginny, or anyone else for that matter, cave his skull in."

"Well said, Hermione," Fleur said.

Charlie leaned back. "I suppose I'll give him a pass on bravery," he drawled. "But that don't mean learning to fight wouldn't be good for him. We're at war. And it took Potter all of three seconds to effectively render him dead."

"I'd like to see him try that again," Ron retorted.

"The point is, Potter wouldn't," Bill said. "He'd do something different. And before you think being smarter than the last time you tangled with him, or that being bigger than him would help you. I would remind you Potter went toe to toe with Charlie for nearly five minutes. And I know you aren't thick enough to pretend even to yourself that you could do the same." He patted Fleur's knee and stood up. She followed him. "5:00 am, Granger," Bill said, "if you're late, we'll be gone."

Fleur paused long enough to kiss Harry's cheek on her way past. "Goodnight all," she said. She took Bill's hand and they disappeared up the stairs.

"I'm sorry, Mione," Harry said. "I'd love to sit up all night with you and Ron and Ginny but he'll find some way of making me regret it." Harry tugged on Ginny's hand. "Come on you, past our bedtime."

Ginny sighed dejectedly and let him lead her up the stairs. "Please try to be quiet when you come in," she said.

"I will," Hermione answered.

Charlie stood up too. "I've got duty for the Order. Don't you two go doing anything I wouldn't now," he said on his way past.

"That leaves things pretty wide open, bro," Ron said.

"If you've got the nerve," Charlie said without turning back. He let the door to the kitchen swing closed and Ron and Hermione were suddenly alone. They regarded each other for a second.

"This place is a mad house," Hermione said.

Ron flopped back on the couch. "You have no idea."

"Ron, what it the name of Merlin is going on? Harry and Ginny are two entirely different people."

"You're telling me," he said. "You should have been here the night Ginny said she was shagging him and we'd better keep our mouths shut about it."

"She what?" Hermione gasped.

"And Harry didn't deny it; stood in my mum's kitchen table in front of me, the twins, Bill, Charlie, Mum and Dad and said anyone who had an issue with it was welcome to step outside with him."

"But Fleur says she's positive they haven't even kissed."

Ron shrugged. "I have no idea. They swear they're just friends. But then they go holding hands and cuddling up on the couch and serving each other at dinner and a bazillion other things. It's bloody weird."

Hermione was quiet for a few moments. "So they aren't really sleeping with each other?"

Ron shrugged. "So they say. Mum believes them. Dad too for that matter."

"They do?"

"Bill said she did it just to make a point. And that she asked Harry to back her on it even if it wasn't true." He sighed. "Maybe it is. I just don't know. It kind of pisses me off though. I thought I knew Harry. And sometimes I think I still do but then he's just so different from how he was." He paused. "I think he thinks of Ginny as his best friend," he muttered.

Hermione cautiously placed her hand on his shoulder. "I understand how that might hurt you, but really, in a way, you should be happy about that."

Ron frowned. "How do you figure?"

"Ron, the best couples are each other's best friends. I hope, someday, that when you find the right girl that she becomes your best friend. If Harry and Ginny are a couple or become one, then I hope the same for them. I hope whomever I'm eventually married to feels that I'm their best friend too. It's ok to have a best mate, or a best girlfriend. But my limited experience suggests that the best person to be in love with is the person you consider to be your best friend."

"I suppose that means Viktor is your best friend," Ron said darkly.

"Viktor is a friend, nothing more."

Ron snorted. "I've seen 'nothing more', Hermione. Been living with it all summer."

Hermione pursed her lips tightly, trying to control the temper that only he seemed capable of provoking. She'd promised herself she wasn't going to let him pick fights with her like this before coming to the Burrow. She forced herself to not storm from the room and chose her words carefully. "Viktor and I are friends, Ronald. Yes I went to the ball with him. Yes, we both had thoughts that it was as something more than friends. We've kissed; more than once. But that aspect of our relationship is over. I don't want anything more from him than his friendship. So I would appreciate it if you would stop getting upset with me every time his name comes up."

"You still helped him during the tournament," Ron retorted. "Way to support, Harry there Hermione."

Hermione's sworn patience snapped. "I never gave Viktor one tinny shred of help with any of the tasks during the tournament you hypocritical arse. I also, not for one second, believed Harry had actually tried to enter the tournament. Nor did I abandon my best friend when he needed me most." She whirled and stormed up the stairs.

"You better move fast Hermione, or you're gonna lose your best friend to my little sister!" Ron shouted. "Then you'll be stuck with Viktor."

"Go To Hell, Ronald Weasley!" Hermione shouted back. She stepped into Ginny's room and slammed the door shut.

"Well that didn't take long," Ginny said. "Are you getting up in the morning or not?"

"Yes," Hermione snapped. "If for no other reason then so I can learn how to shove your brother's foot up his arse."

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"Thank Merlin," Ginny said. "I really do need to go to sleep." She scooted over to make enough room for Hermione in the bed and was out before Hermione could even sit down.

* * *

 **HPHPHP**

* * *

Author's notes:

Good lord, you'd honestly think they'd get on with it, wouldn't you?

An update on Slytherin Harry series. I'm making progress, approaching Christmas of fifth year. Hopefully I'm a month or two from begining to post it. Keep your fingers crossed and send me good karma.


	14. Chapter 14

Author's notes:

Standard disclaimer, it all belongs to JKR.

* * *

 **Harry Potter; the Unexpected Summer**

 **Chapter XIV**

 **Figured it Out, Did You?**

* * *

The following morning, Hermione was startled awake by someone pounding on the door. "Wha?" she gasped bolting up in the bed.

"Ugh," Ginny grumbled.

"Ten minutes, Gin," Harry called.

"Go away, Harry," she shouted back.

"You love me and you know it."

"I'm going to break your nose."

"Are you up or not?"

"What do you think?"

Harry laughed. "Nine minutes, Gin," he called. The sound of the stairs creaking signified him descending to the kitchen.

Ginny slowly sat up, seeming to sleep while sitting for a second. "I really, really, really hate him." She sighed and scooted off the bed. "How is it possible to be cheerful this early?" she grumbled.

Hermione sat up and hung her feet off the bed. "What time is it?"

"Ten to bloody 5:00." Ginny muttered. She yanked a shirt over her head and pulled on a pair of shorts.

Hermione opened her trunk and pulled out similar clothes to Ginny's. "How many days a week do you do this?"

"Every bloody one. Except Sunday. Sunday we get to sleep till 7:00. Yippi," Ginny said sarcastically. She shoved her feet into her trainers. "Ready?"

"You train every day?" Hermione asked.

"I've had four days off since I started." Ginny opened the door and headed for the stairs.

Hermione hurried to follow. "How long have you been doing it?" She asked as they hit the family room and turned for the kitchen.

"To long. Would you mind shutting up? I might kill you if you keep asking me questions and I'd really regret that when I actually woke up." Hermione stopped short in the doorway.

"Ignore her, Mione," Harry said. She's a bloody troll till she's been up at least two hours.

"Shut up and hold me," Ginny ordered, sitting on his lap and snuggling in.

"She's also a bit schizophrenic." Harry pointed at the counter. "You'll wanna drink one of those. One's chocolate, the other is strawberry. I didn't know which you'd prefer so I mixed up both."

Hermione crossed to the counter and eyed the two offerings. "What is it?"

"Calories," Harry answered. "You're gonna need em."

Ginny snorted. "Till they come back up."

"What?" Hermione asked.

"I repeat, ignore her," Harry said. Bill stepped into the kitchen followed by Fleur. Ginny groaned.

"Morning," Bill said.

"Sir," Harry answered. "Ms. Delacour." He tipped his head so she could kiss his cheek.

"Morning, Harry," she answered happily.

"Urgh, must you always be in such a good mood?"

Fleur ignored Ginny. "You are joining us Hermione?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Fool," Ginny said.

"Quit whenever you like, Ginevra," Fleur said. "I would not complain about less whining."

"Whining's my revenge on you and Bill for making me get up so bloody early."

"Hermione, drink," Bill ordered. "Let's go."

Harry stood, pulling Ginny with him as Bill and Fleur exited the kitchen. He waited for Hermione to settle on one of the two glasses and down it. "Pretty good, hun? I prefer the chocolate though."

"I'll try it tomorrow," Hermione said.

"If you're still alive," Ginny said.

"Let's go, Potter," Bill shouted.

"Just do the best you can, Hermione," Harry said. "It took Ginny a week to make it through a whole morning with us. She didn't make it past an hour the first day."

"NOW, POTTER!"

"Let's go," Harry said. He set off at a jog out of the kitchen. Ginny followed, keeping up easily. Hermione was struggling within a hundred yards.

Bill glanced back. "Let's go, Granger." Hermione picked her pace up for a few yards but was stumbling again within another ten steps."

"She 'as not been training for zee last four montzs," Fleur said under her breath.

Bill glanced back again. "This isn't about her, Fleur."

Fleur switched to French. "We have already talked about this, William."

"Drop back with her. The other two can't afford to wait for her to catch up."

"Agreed," Fleur said. She fell off the pace Bill was setting, waiting for Hermione to reach her. "You can do zis, Hermione," she said.

Hermione struggled to keep up with her as Harry, Ginny and Bill disappeared out in front of them. "They're so fast," she gasped.

"Et was not always so. As long as you do not give up on yourself, none of us will give up on you. It will be 'ard and William will be 'ard on you. But you will show 'im 'ow strong you are." Hermione was too focused on trying to breathe to say anything. "You are wrong, Hermione," Fleur said. "Et es not your body zat will quit. Et es your mind. You zink et es your body you are training but zee trutz es et es you mind you must train. Zee body will do whatever zee mind tells et to."

"I," Hermione gasped, "think… puking… might be… the body's way… of telling… the… mind… it was pushed… to hard."

"The body will adjust if zee mind keeps pushing et. If you wisz to do zis training witz Harry and Ginevra you must teazz your mind to pursue et wit zee same effort you pursue your studies." Fleur led her into the clearing where Harry and Ginny were already finishing their fifth rat of the morning. "You may rest for one minute," she said.

"Stay on your feet!" Bill barked when Hermione collapsed.

"Come on, Hermione," Harry said hauling her back up. "Stand up straight. Put your hands behind your head like this." He demonstrated. "You need to get air in."

"K," she gasped.

"Line up," Bill said. "You two, Granger."

"Non," Fleur said. She stepped to the line with Harry and the others. "Watzz so you will be ready for zee next one."

"You're doing great, Hermione," Harry encouraged her.

"GO!" Bill shouted. He, Harry, Fleur and Ginny bolted away while Hermione swayed unsteadily at the start line. A little over a minute later, Bill then Harry then Ginny and Fleur in a dead heat raced across the finish line.

"Let's go," Bill said, not allowing them any rest at all between sets. "Right now. You too, Granger. You've been standing around long enough."

"I'll pay you to kill him," Ginny offered.

"GO!" Bill barked. Hermione bolted forward, but almost before she could even take a step it seemed the others were already skidding to a stop at the first stake in the ground and racing back to the start. By the time she finished, they had already rested for 30 seconds and were lining up again.

"Rest," Fleur said. "You will do the next one."

"Stay on your feet," Bill growled. "Go." And so it went for the next ten minutes; Harry and Fleur offering encouragement for each rat she managed to finish, Bill barking and growling at her, and Ginny encouraging her to kill any one of the other three. "Keep up," Bill snapped at her as she crossed the line. He set off at a jog again and she and Fleur fell quickly behind as the others raced away. By the time she and Fleur reached the drinking well, Harry, Ginny and Bill had already drank their fill.

"Drink," Harry said. He tipped the bucket up for her letting the water splash messily over her face, drenching her in the process.

"You didn't do that for me," Ginny grumbled.

"How often do you crank water for me?" Harry retorted.

"Touchy," Ginny said. Harry tossed the bucket into the well and cranked it back up again.

"Thank you, Harry," Fleur said when he offered it to her.

"You're welcome. More?" he asked Hermione.

She nodded weakly. "Please." Harry cranked the bucket up again and held it so she could drink. Ms. Delacour?" he asked when it was empty.

"Please."

"Harry," Ginny said as she watched him crank the bucket up for the eleventh time that morning, "You're emotional range is moving into that of a gentleman."

Harry grinned. "You're up early today, Gin." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"'eaven 'elp me," Fleur sighed. "I do not know whicz es worse; 'er complaining or zeire foreplay."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Hermione said and promptly turned and emptied her stomach. Harry dutifully raised another bucket so when she stopped heaving she'd have water to clean her mouth and drink again.

"Thanks," Hermione said weakly. She took a second to clear her head. "We're done now, right?"

"Granger," Bill growled, "That was just the warm up." He set off at a jog again with a sharply spoken, "Keep up."

Harry screwed his face up painfully. "Sorry, Mione. You're doing great though." He set off and quickly caught up to Bill.

"I told you, you should have just killed him," Ginny said and took off after them.

"Come," Fleur said. She set off at a much slower pace. She turned back when Hermione didn't immediately follow. "Quit now and et will only be 'arder to push past zis point tomorrow." She jogged in place waiting for Hermione to decide. "Decide," Fleur demanded. "If you are done I must catzz zem."

Hermione took a deep breath and started jogging. "I'm going to die," she muttered.

* * *

 **HPHPHP**

* * *

Harry eyed Hermione across the table from him trying to decide. Last night, her first at The Burrow, unaware that Harry had taken to sitting next to Ginny, she had taken his seat. He wasn't upset or anything by it. She really had no way of knowing the changes that had occurred this summer from the previous times they had both been guests in the Weasley household. And the poor girl had been pretty much been dead to the world by the time he and Ginny had finished training and joined her at breakfast the following morning. She was far less an athlete than Ginny, didn't even have the little bit of conditioning that quidditch would have given her, and was also much more girl than the tomboy Ginny was. She probably wouldn't have noticed at all that Harry had sat between them if he hadn't poked, prodded and gently cajoled her through her meal. The three of them had eaten a picnic lunch in Ginny's secret spot earlier today so tonight when Hermione again took her accustomed place next to Ginny she still had no way of knowing she was in _his_ spot. Besides that, with her and Ron fighting yet once again, she probably had no desire at all to sit next to his best mate. And that there was the current crux of the situation; that she was sitting next to Ginny was perfect. That she was fighting with Ron, well he didn't know how much further he wanted to push his idiot best mate. Fortunately or not, teenage impulse won out over mature discretion.

"Hermione," Harry said between bites of mashed potatoes.

She paused and focused on him. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to let you know that Ginny talked to me earlier this summer and I'd be honored to help you." Ginny choked on her milk and started coughing. Hermione's confusion was lost in turning to see that Ginny was ok. She continued to cough, holding her hand on her chest while she tried to recover.

"Are you all right?" Hermione asked.

Ginny nodded and managed a raspy, "Fine."

Bill jumped into the prank head on, "You can count on me too, Hermione."

Hermione glanced up with a confused frown. "Sorry?"

"Though I'm afraid Fleur put the kibosh on the old fashioned method so it'll have to be the cup." Ginny groaned and buried her face in her elbow.

"Oh dear," Molly sighed, shaking her head resignedly.

Hermione glanced between Bill and Harry. "The cup?" she asked.

Harry swallowed his mouthful. By this time the whole of the table had stopped eating and focused on their ongoing interaction. "Yeah, you know, the cup."

Hermione glanced around the table. Next to her, Ginny still had her head buried in her elbow on the table. Ron seemed as confused as she was. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley at least seemed like they might know what Harry and Bill were on about while Charlie and the twins had very calculating looks on their faces as they tried to catch up. Never one to have been accused of being slow, her guard went up. "No," she said cautiously, "I'm afraid I'm still not following you, Harry."

Harry frowned. "She didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Hermione demanded glancing between Harry, Bill and now Ginny too.

Ginny moaned. "I'm going to kill you, Harry. I swear."

Harry shot Bill a look. "Erm," he said.

"We thought she had talked to you," Bill said.

"You're dead. Both of you," Ginny moaned without picking her head up.

"Talked to me about what!" Hermione blew up.

"That they'd help you and Ginny have children dear," Mrs. Weasley supplied.

"Ohhh," Ginny moaned pitifully. Hermione blinked. Charlie, Fred, George and Ron all stared at their mother with their mouths hanging open.

"What?" Mrs. Weasley demanded. "Your sister's gay. Hermione's her girlfriend. She asked Harry and Bill if they would be sperm donors when they were ready to have children."

Ginny bolted up. "MOTHER!" she cried shrilly.

"I just answered her question, dear. There's no reason to scream at me."

"No Reason," Ginny spluttered. "NO REASON."

"Really Ginevra," Mrs. Weasley snapped back. "I should think you'd be happy that Bill and Harry have agreed to help you. You've no call to yell at me."

Ginny fell silent, gaping at her mother in disbelief. In the silence that followed, Hermione very quietly said, "You told?"

Ginny shook herself and focused on Hermione. "What?" she squeaked.

"You told," she accused.

Ginny blinked. "Hermione it was—"

"I can't believe you told."

"Hermio—"

"My parents don't even know I'm gay and you went and told yours. And not only did you tell them, you've apparently gone and lined up sperm donors for us," she continued, her volume slowly increasing.

Ginny blinked owlishly at her. "You... I... We..."

"We agreed we'd tell them together," Hermione snapped.

Ginny stared at her. "I..." she managed.

"I WHAT!" Hermione roared.

"I'm sorry," Ginny squeaked meekly.

Hermione glowered at her before calmly setting her napkin on the table and standing. "Parlour, Ginevra, now."

Ginny glanced around the table. Harry smirked when her eyes settled on him. "How was I suppose to know you hadn't talked about it with her?"

She opened her mouth to retort but Hermione cut her off. "Now, Ginevra."

Ginny set her napkin on the table and stood. "Excuse me," she said and hurried from the kitchen. Hermione followed.

"Wait one second," Ron exploded.

Hermione turned on him. "What, Ronald?" she hissed venomously. He quailed. She glanced around the table; catching each of Fred, George and Charlie's eyes for just a second before settling on Ron again. "Who would have thought, the one of you with the stones to actually ask me out, it was the one without any who did," she said disdainfully before stalking after Ginny.

Harry and the rest, all but for him and Bill a bit confused, stared after them. Harry shook himself. "Anyone who says Hermione can't pull a prank hasn't a clue what a prank even is."

"Amen to that," Bill chuckled. He held his fist out to Harry. Harry bumped fists with him. "Nice set up by the way."

"Thanks, Sir."

"Wait a second," Ron said. "Are they dating or not?"

"Not," Harry, Bill and Fleur said together.

"But Hermione just said…"

"Ron," Harry said, "Hermione might be the smartest person on the planet. You know about what Ginny did to Bill and I. We we're trying to get back at her for that, embarrass her for using Hermione's name that way and somehow Hermione sussed out what Ginny had done and decided to get in on the act."

"Bloody brilliant," Bill said. "I almost feel sorry for Ginny right now."

"I don't," Harry said.

Bill tipped his head. "Yeah, I don't either."

Charlie chuckled and elbowed Fred. "You two are losing your touch."

"Oi now," George said.

"Them's fightin' words, them are," Fred said.

"Please," Bill said, "between Ginny and Potter earlier this summer, this tonight, the time Ginny turned your hair pink, the time she and Potter tricked the two of you two into eating those candies and chugging a diet coke, and mum getting in on the act for Ginny's original dating Hermione prank and this one tonight, nothing you two have pulled is even in the top five."

The twins glowered at them. "I'm afraid they've got you, boys," Arthur said.

The twins simultaneously stood. "Challenge accepted," they declared and sat down again.

"Oh bloody hell," Ron moaned.

"Ronald," Mrs Weasley reprimanded.

"Oh come on, Mum. It'll be me they target."

"Oh no," Fred said.

"You're safe," George said.

"If Ginny's the queen," Fred said.

"And Potter there is the king," George said.

"Then they have to be the targets," they said together.

Harry stared back at them. "Bugger."

"Harry," Mrs Weasley said.

"Sorry, Mrs Weasley."

Arthur wiped his mouth and set his napkin aside. "Amazing as always, Dear."

Mrs Weasley beamed at him. "Thank you."

"Wonderful/Delicious/Thanks, Mum," various members of the family chimed in while climbing to their feet and clearing their plates to the sink.

"Chess, Ron?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, sure," Ron agreed, hurrying after Harry into the parlour.

* * *

 **HPHPHP**

* * *

It was eight days after Hermione arrived that Mrs Weasley pulled seven envelopes from her apron, handing one to Ginny and two each to Ron, Hermione and Harry. "But I thought they weren't supposed to be posted for another two days yet," Hermione protested even while accepting hers.

"Yes, well, the Headmaster thought it might be wise for you lot to make your visit to Diagon Alley when it wouldn't be expected," Mrs Weasley answered. Though her chalky pallor was indication she wasn't completely comfortable with the plan.

At few things went through Harry's mind in a very short amount of time. The first was that in a way he'd been able to actually forget about Voldemort for a while. Which was very strange indeed as his entire summer had been nothing but one long training session designed to ensure he survived his next encounter with the bastard. But at the Burrow, and especially when in France, Voldemort and his minions were at arms length. He'd been living in a bubble of sort and as the end of summer approached and the return to school became more and more immanent, that bubble constricted. Venturing to Diagon Alley was a step into the real world. A step where, despite attempting to throw Voldemort off by visiting before letters were even sent, it would only take being seeing by the wrong person for an attack to occur. Of course this wasn't news to Harry. Nor was it sudden. He'd known it had to end, but just like all of us when faced with the end of something good, he just wasn't ready for the bubble to pop when it did.

The second thing was that for once he found his concerns about the target he painted on his friends' backs wasn't his biggest worry. His first instinct had been to suggest he not go; figuring if someone did spot them there was at least a better chance of avoiding an attack if he wasn't along. The instinct was quashed though with the fact Ginny herself now carried a target. A target that was really hardly any smaller than his own. She would not be safer with him not there. Far from it, she'd be far safer if he were. In fact, there was no way in hell he was letting her go without him and he rather quickly found himself debating the wisdom of reminding Mrs Weasley of Voldemort's specific interest in her daughter. Just as quickly, he quashed the idea. Ginny and her mum were far better than they'd been when he first arrived that summer, but he didn't want to instigate a fight between them by attempting to get Mrs Weasley to forbid Ginny going to Diagon Alley. No, it'd be far wiser to speak with Ginny privately regarding his concerns. It would prevent a fight between her and her mother and stop her being hacked off with him.

"Are you certain it's safe?" Hermione asked.

"Of course it's safe," Ron said. "I've been going all summer, haven't I?"

"Yes, well you're not Harry, are you?" Hermione said. "Sorry," she added with an apologetic look at Harry.

"It's fine," he answered.

"Gee thanks, Hermione," Ron retorted. "I forgot that. It's not like my spoon hasn't been sitting on mortal peril all summer too or anything."

"Enough, Ron," Ginny said. "Do you have to pick a fight with her over everything?"

"Thank you, Ginny," Hermione said.

Ginny focused on her. "To be fair, it was a bit tactless."

Hermione opened her mouth, paused, and turned to Ron. "I'm sorry, that came out wrong. I'm just as concerned about you going there and to be honest, really wish that you weren't."

Ron stared at her. "You do?"

Hermione blushed but rather bravely, Harry thought, threw it out there for Ron. "I'd much prefer you were staying here with us."

Ron frowned. "Why?"

"Because it's safe, and we're here, and you're my friend and I didn't come here just to spend time with Harry and Ginny," she answered. Harry rather thought if she hadn't thrown it out before that spelled it out in great flashing letters.

"Maybe you could leave off the last week, Ron," Mrs Weasley said in the silence that followed. "You have been working all summer and I know you all want to grow up so fast, but the fact is, once you start working, well you pretty much do it the rest of your life. Spend some time with your friends."

"I wouldn't object to having you around more, Mate," Harry said.

"I would," Ginny countered.

Harry shoved her. "Shut it you."

Ron glowered at her. Ginny smiled innocently back. "Just the reduced stench alone has been wonderful."

"I'll do it," Ron said. "If for no other reason than I haven't annoyed you nearly enough this summer."

"I'm annoyed looking at you," Ginny retorted.

"You know you're adopted right? It's just a spell mum cast that makes your hair red."

"And the freckles too I suppose?"

"Too right."

"Brilliant. Mum, will you cancel the charm please? I'd love to try actually tanning for once."

Mrs Weasley rolled her eyes. "Hush the both of you and open your letters. It's O.W.L.s for three of you after all."

"OH," Hermione gasped and tore her envelope open. "I completely forgot." She pulled the letter from it and quickly scanned it… YES." she exploded.

Harry grinned broadly. "Did well, did you?"

"Thirteen," she exclaimed. "Outstandings in all of them with special marks in Transfiguration, Charms and Defense." She beamed at Harry. "Thanks to you in Defense."

Harry stepped to her and wrapped her in a tight hug. "Congrats, Mione."

She hugged him back tightly before letting him go. "Well go on then. How'd you two do?"

Harry glanced at Ron. "Together?"

Ron nodded. "Right." Ass one they tore their envelopes open. With a bit more trepidation than Hermione they pulled their letters out and scanned them. "Well?" Ron asked.

"Nine," Harry said. "Three Acceptables, three Exceeds and three Outstandings, including Potions and special marks in Defense!"

"Whoa," Ron said.

"Nice job, Harry," Ginny said. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Thanks, Gin," Harry said.

She let him go and Hermione stepped in. "I'm so proud of you."

Harry laughed while returning her hug. "You should be proud of yourself, at least half of them I wouldn't have even passed without you."

"Of course you would have."

Harry let her go. "Well at the very least they wouldn't be nearly as good without your help."

"Well, with your new study habits, I'm expecting a lighter load this year."

Harry laughed. "I'll do my best."

"And I expect half of Hermione's credit for your marks next year," Ginny quipped.

"I'll give you all of it if I no longer have to proof his potions' essays," Hermione said. She focused on Ron. "Well?"

"Eight," he answered. "Five acceptables, an Exceeds and two Outstandings, including Potions, and special marks in Defense."

"Ron," Hermione exclaimed, "that's wonderful." She jumped forward and hugged him tightly. "Now you can keep on for being an auror. I'm so happy for you."

Ron blushed and awkwardly returned her hug. "Erm, thanks." Hermione blushed as she released him and it was about all Harry could do to not roll his eyes at the pair. Judging by the smirk on Ginny's face she was of much the same thought.

"Is it my turn now?" Ginny asked.

"Sure, go on," Harry said. Ginny tore her envelope open and tipped the contents out. A familiar badge dumped into her hand with her letter.

"Ha!" Ron crowed. "The twins are going to torture you forever."

"Ron," Hermione reprimanded, "being selected as prefect is an honor; not something to be ridiculed."

"As if," Ron retorted. "It's just a boatload of work for pretty much nothing."

Ginny had ignored both of them and the sudden grimace on her face had Harry asking, "What? Don't tell me there's another ball or something."

"What?" Ron and Hermione asked, distracted from their growing argument.

Ginny held her letter out. "Try balls," she said.

"WHAT!" Ron cried.

"Balls, as in Halloween, Yule and Valentines."

Ron grabbed the letter from her. "You're joking." But sure enough, as he scanned the usual list of books, supplies and preterm information there it was; three balls to be held 31st, October, 20th, December and 14th February. "Bloody hell," he moaned, "are they trying to kill us?" It was a testament to Hermione's dismay she didn't even reprimand him for his language.

"I guess Dumbledore is trying to keep spirits up or something," Harry said.

"More like putting dementors at the school again if you ask me," Ron muttered. "Who to ask, when to ask them, have you realized girls never travel alone? They're always in packs." He turned on Hermione. "How am I ever supposed to get you alone to ask you if you're never alone?"

Hermione frowned. Harry cocked his head and pursed his lips. "Well, I suppose that's one way," Ginny snickered.

Ron's eyes widened. "Erm, that's not, I mean."

"Ron?" Hermione stopped him.

Ron cringed. "Yeah?"

"Do you want to escort me to the ball?" she asked, her voice surprisingly level. Ron shifted, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there his eyes darted around nervously.

"Ron," Ginny said, drawing his attention, "it doesn't get more obvious," she said seriously.

"It doesn't?" he croaked.

Ginny shook her head. "Nope."

"Oh." Ron rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ron?" Hermione asked. He turned to her again. "Do you?" Harry had to hand it to his friend. Hermione was well and truly displaying her inner Gryffindor.

"Erm, well, yeah." Harry was certain he saw a low glow build around his bushy haired friend. "But what…."

Hermione's blooming joy evaporated. Harry nearly punched his best mate but managed to refrain. For the moment. "But what, what?" he growled.

For a second Ron looked terrified, but then his inner Gryffindor asserted itself. "None of your damn business, Harry." He grabbed Hermione by the wrist and pulled her out of the kitchen. "Come with me." Startled, Hermione could do nothing but stumble after him. Harry was left with Ginny and Mrs Weasley to stare after them.

"That was nice of you, Ginny," Molly said.

"Sorry?" she asked.

"Trying to help your brother that way."

Ginny smiled. "Thanks, Mum."

"You're welcome. Harry, are you going to open your letter?"

Harry shrugged and tore the envelope open. Along with his letter a badge fell into his hand. "Quidditch captain," Ginny said. "Keep it warm for me, yeah?"

"Ginevra," Mrs Weasley gasped.

Harry rolled his eyes and muttered, "She catches one snitch."

"Hey, I'm undefeated. Can you say the same?"

Harry focused on Mrs Weasley. "Have you checked this girl's ego?" He jerked his thumb at Ginny. "I'm thinking I should take her out to the paddock and show her what a real Seeker can do."

"You're on, Potter," Ginny retorted. "Just as soon as we agree on brooms for the contest. Speaking of." She turned doe eyes on her mother. "It doesn't have to be new," she pleaded.

Mrs Weasley took a deep breath. "We'll see what we can find."

Ginny leapt forward and hugged her mother tightly. "Thanks, Mum."

Mrs Weasley closed her eyes and held her daughter close, burning her face in Ginny's hair. "I love you, Ginny."

Harry slipped out the back, feeling no small amount of happiness at the roll he had played in reconciling the two.

* * *

 **HPHPHP**

* * *

It was late afternoon two days after their letters had arrived that Ginny found Harry down at the pond in her little glade. "Hey," she said, coming to sit beside him. "How come you left without me?"

"Sorry," Harry answered, "needed to think." And he had been thinking. Some about Ron and Hermione who were now an official couple. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. On the one had it was good. On the other, he was more than a bit concerned what might happen if they broke up. Because even if they ended up married some day he was pretty sure there would be a breakup along the way and that wasn't going to be fun. No way, no how, no fun. But for as much thought as he'd put into those two, he'd put far more into the girl who had just joined him.

Far more.

"Oh," Ginny said, feeling a bit stung. She started to get up. "I'll leave you be then."

Harry's hand shot out and grabbed her arm. "Stay." She eyed him. "Really, stay."

Ginny settled back down. "All right then." They sat in silence for quite a long while before one of them spoke again. "Anything I can help with?"

Harry shrugged. "Maybe." The truth was he was pretty certain she could help him. She always helped. And that was, at once, both answer and problem.

Ginny waited. "Am I supposed to test your occlumency? Because I can if you like."

Harry chuckled humorlessly. "I think I've had enough training for the day."

"So what are you thinking about?"

"This summer… It's been good, believe it or not." And he meant it too. Though he did still occasionally feel guilty about that. It sometimes just didn't seem right that he could have a good summer, or a good anything really, so soon after that.

"You mean despite Sirius?"

Harry smiled sadly. "I'm pretty sure I would have wasted away to nothing if Bill hadn't come and got me."

Ginny reached over and took his hand. "I don't know what Dumbledore was thinking, leaving you there like that, but I'll be forever grateful Bill had the stones to do what he did."

"Me too," Harry said. He squeezed her hand.

"He's been more forthcoming since we got back?"

Harry shrugged. "It's only one meeting, but so far he's agreeing to my terms."

"And those are?"

"Mostly that you're my partner."

Ginny nodded slowly. "I wondered when I'd hear about that."

Harry turned to her. "You're sure about this, Gin?"

"Of course I'm sure. You didn't think I'd back out after everything we went through this summer, did you?"

Harry searched her face. "I wouldn't hold it against you."

Ginny held his gaze. "I would."

And there it was. The same ferociousness that had driven her all summer blazed in her chocolate brown eyes. He'd been debating with himself for days now on what to do. He didn't have a choice. She did. She was only there because he asked it of her. For a while he'd thought it was the life debt she supposedly owed him, but he didn't believe that now. She never spoke of it, never mentioned it. The only motivation she ever expressed was that he shouldn't have to do it alone. He didn't know why, but for some reason she had decided she would be the one to ensure he wasn't. It was her choice, and one thing Harry had found over the summer was he had a seeming inability to deny her that.

"I know," he answered.

"Then you know me fairly well," she said.

Harry's eyes changed, darkening. "Thank you," he said solemnly. "For this summer. I know Bill and Fleur were set it up and they were there every step of the way. But don't think I didn't notice no one else was. Don't think I didn't notice Ron couldn't be bothered to get up, or that Hermione is lucky if she puts even half what you do since she's been here. I don't blame her, not really. Fighting and exercise and all that stuff aren't her thing. Honestly, it's almost a waste having her spend time on it. She'll be far more effective fighting Voldemort with some ancient tome in her hand than she ever would with her wand… well maybe her hands, as long as her stamina lasts her wand is pretty mean. But she tends to freeze and get tied up in proper technique and enunciation when she just needs to blast them and have done with it." He paused for a moment. "Ron though, that hurts. He didn't even make the effort. It's like he thinks Voldemort takes summers off or something, I don't know. Anyway, the point is I noticed you were the only one. So thank you, Ginevra Molly Weasley. Thanks for being there and for showing me even with two really good friends there was something missing." Ginny smiled tremulously. "Don't thank me back," he cut over her. "Just… thanks, Gin."

"I'll be there, Harry. I swear."

"Yeah," he said heavily, "I know." Harry squeezed her hand and went back to staring out over the water. The sounds of the birds, bees and the water gurgling down the falls settled pleasantly, lulling them into a peaceful calm and Harry knew he just couldn't allow this to end. Of course it was going to end no matter what he did, but there were some things about going back to school he'd never considered before and he wasn't happy about them. He wasn't happy at all. Some of them he was stuck with, but there was at least one he could do something about and he'd be damned if he didn't. "Gin?" he eventually asked.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering if you'd want to go to the balls with me?"

Ginny hesitated slightly before answering. "I guess that depends."

Harry turned to look at her. "Friends or something more?"

"Yes."

"I thought you weren't interested in any of the boys at Hogwarts."

"I'm not," she said softly, her eyes never leaving his.

Harry really didn't know where this particular bout of courage was coming form. But he knew what he wanted and was pretty certain he'd learned to read between her lines. He'd only ever shared a kiss with one girl before, and saying it had not been particularly successful was being kind to the event. But somehow he knew what to do now. Or at least he hoped he did when his hand rose and reached for her. Cupping the back of her neck he gently, but firmly pulled her to him. Her eyes stayed challengingly on his till just before their lips met and they drifted closed.

Heat.

Searing, burning, consuming, blissful heat surged through his body, and the caged beast that had been impatiently crashing about in his chest since first realizing if he didn't take her to the balls, someone else likely would and that he liked that idea about as much as gouging his eyes out with a spoon, roared its approval in such a way that Harry knew it would never again be silent were he to try denying his feelings for her. Ginny didn't resist him, and she stayed with his kiss, letting out a soft sigh when he eventually pulled back.

When their eyes met, he asked, "And what about a man?" he asked.

"Figured it out, did you?" she challenged, her eyes sparkling.

Harry smirked. "Pretty sure." He leaned in, pushing her all the way to her back as his lips descended on hers again. Ginny's arms wound up around his neck while her hands tangled in his hair. Very quickly Harry learned there was far more to kissing than he ever imagined. Even more quickly his imagination came alive with ways of kissing Ginny that would take life times to explore.

* * *

Author's notes:

Well, hopefully that is a satisfactory close to this summer romance. Perhaps some day I'll come back to this and take it through to the end, but right now I can honestly tell you all I haven't got a single further word of the story written and don't know when I might. For now, it will just have to stand alone.

I'm sure many of you are all waiting for my Slytherin Harry to resume. Unfortunately, It's not ready yet either. I'm making progress, but there is a ways yet to go. Honestly, it could be as short as a month and it could be much longer, I just don't know. I only know I won't begin posting till I've completed the book. Again, I'm sorry, I'm doing the best I can.

Last, as always, thank you so much to those of you who were kind enough to review. I always appreciate hearing from readers; even if sometimes I may not like what they have to say.

Till next time,

Sorcerer's Muse


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